Thomas Nilsen

Newly deployed nuke-bombers at Kola is certainly a signalling, expert says

Recent satellite images show that Russia has deployed four Tu-160 and three Tu-95 long-range strategic bombers north to the Olenegorsk air base on the Kola Peninsula.
October 03, 2022

Extreme rain over Svalbard is caused by less sea-ice

The occurrence of extreme precipitation over Svalbard seen over the last four decades is linked with declining sea-ice in the Greenland Sea, a new study concludes.
October 03, 2022

Border can be closed in a few hours' notice, Justice Minister

Norwegian police and border guard forces are monitoring very thoroughly all movements from Russia and are ready to take action if needed.
October 02, 2022

Norway prepares for Russians fleeing military service

It is starting to get cold in northernmost Norway and illegal border crossings in the wilderness could be dangerous. A police helicopter was Friday sent north from Oslo to patrol the border.
September 30, 2022

Storskog is now only land border to Europe open for Russian tourists

Finland follows the Baltic states and Poland and closes its eastern border for Russian tourists from Friday, Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto announced at a press conference in Helsinki. Asked by the Barents Observer, Norwegian authorities had no immediately clear answer to possible changes in entry rules at Storskog.
September 29, 2022

Energy security: "Situation is grave, measures are implemented"

"The incident in the Baltic Sea gives reason to maintain and strengthen measures to protect the petroleum industry," says Tone Vangen, Director of Norway's Police Directorate’s Emergency Preparedness.
September 28, 2022

Moscow vows to improve Svalbard infrastructure

1,5 billion rubles are required to modernize infrastructure in the two Russian settlements of Barentsburg and Pyramiden.
September 28, 2022

Nuclear subs made trans-Arctic under-ice transfer from Barents to Pacific

Two of Russia’s newest nuclear-powered submarines have completed a 5,500 nm voyage under the Arctic ice cap.
September 28, 2022

FSB tightens control at Arctic exit route amid border closure rumours

Crowds of young men fleeing from conscription are Tuesday morning heading towards Norway from Murmansk. Controls are intensified at Titovka checkpoint.
September 27, 2022

More Russian men flee Putin's call-up decree via northern borders

Both Finland and Norway saw more military-aged Russian men crossing borders this weekend. But still far from the queues reported from Moscow airports and other exit checkpoints in the South Caucasus and Central Asia.
September 26, 2022

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Thomas Nilsen is editor of the Independent Barents Observer with its news desk located in Kirkenes, northern Norway. He has a long experience in media cooperation across the borders in the high north of Europe, both as radio- and newspaper reporter all the way back to the days before the breakup of the Soviet Union. 

Nilsen has been editor of Barents Observer since 2009.

He was Deputy Head of the Norwegian Barents Secretariat from 2004-2009. Until 2003, he worked 12 years for the Bellona Foundation’s Russian study group, focusing on nuclear safety issues and general environmental challenges in northern areas and the Arctic. 

Thomas has been traveling extensively across northern Scandinavia and Arctic Russia since the late 80’s working for different media and organizations. He is also a guide at sea and in remote locations in the Russian north for various groups and regularly lectures on security issues, environmental and socio-economic development.

Thomas Nilsen studied at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

Mobile: +47-90573143

thomas@thebarentsobserver.com
@nilsen.thomas