Thomas Nilsen

Military-patriotic Yunarmiya sanctioned by the EU

As Russia scales up military training of children, the European Union imposes sanctions against the organization Yunarmiya (Young Army).
July 23, 2022

The two nuclear subs sailing to St. Petersburg surfaced northwest of Haakonsvern naval base

While Norwegian officials are reluctant to give details, the British Royal Navy now tells how they shadowed the two Russian Northern Fleet submarines "Vepr" and "Severodvinsk" as they made their underwater journey south along the coast of Norway from the Arctic.
July 22, 2022

Air France launches flights to three destinations above the Arctic Circle

Tromsø, Kittilä and Rovaniemi are all included in the winter destination program of direct flights from Paris.
July 22, 2022

First Baltic Sea voyage for Russia’s 4th generation multi-purpose sub

The "Severodvinsk" sailed Danish waters Tuesday morning en route from the Kola Peninsula to St. Petersburg where the submarine will be on display at the Naval Parade.
July 19, 2022

Northern Fleet sabotage-reconnaissance group eliminated, claims Ukraine Intelligence Agency

Russia has lost soldiers from the Northern Fleet’s 140th special purpose detachment in Vidyaevo after the group was hit by Ukrainian defenders in the Kharkiv region.
July 18, 2022

Repressive authorities block Indigenous Russia site

A lighthouse for information about violations of indigenous peoples’ rights in northern Russia has been blocked by censorship agency Roskomnadzor.
July 18, 2022

Murmansk gets comprehensive facial-recognition surveillance system

Authorities call it the «Safe City project» - the 1,658 CCTV cameras that will be installed in the Murmansk region by the end of the year and connected to facial-recognition technology.
July 11, 2022

More Russian GPS jamming than ever across border to Norway

Four passenger aircraft have over the last few days lost GPS signals when flying in Norway’s northeastern region. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, jamming has been registered more than 20 days.
July 09, 2022

World’s longest nuclear submarine handed over to the Russian Navy

The "Belgorod" special purpose submarine, carrier of the so-called doomsday Poseidon drones, will be in experimental operation with the Northern Fleet before later to serve in the Pacific Fleet.
July 08, 2022

Norwegian transporters bring goods to Russian coal-miners

Dilemma solved: Two containers with food supplies that were stopped on the land border to Norway are now underway towards Svalbard.
July 06, 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