Thomas Nilsen

In a surprise turn, Northern Fleet warships leave the Baltic Sea before Navy Day

Still unclear why the nuclear-powered submarine Tambov, the destroyer Admiral Levchenko and the landing vessel Ivan Gren are departing the Baltic Sea.
July 14, 2024

Rescue sub once again hit hull of mother vessel, intel report

The Russian Northern Fleet rescue sub AS-36 was recently damage during testing in the Norwegian Sea, Ukraine’s military intelligence claims.
July 12, 2024

Nuclear-powered icebreakers bring record loss for shipyard

Construction of the two icebreakers “Sibir” and “Ural” were unprofitable, the Baltic Shipyard says as its 2023 financial report shows a loss of 19 billion rubles.
July 11, 2024

The Moscow Times declared 'undesirable'

No room for high quality journalism, even the newsroom is located outside of Russia and the online newspaper already is blocked.
July 10, 2024

From the skies of northern Norway to Ukraine

Norway donates six F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, the Government announces.
July 10, 2024

Norwegians embark US nuke submarine in a rare flex of force

It is not often you see a US ballistic missile submarine at surface in the Norwegian Sea. Even more rare is photos made public of Norwegian military and politicians flexing nuclear weapons jointly together with the United States Strategic Command.
July 10, 2024

Attack on Kyiv children’s hospital likely carried out by Tu-95MS from Olenya airfield

Footage of the missile before impact and studies of debris at the blast site make Ukraine’s Security Service believe it was a Kh-101 that hit the children’s hospital.
July 09, 2024

Two Northern Fleet nuclear subs head to St. Petersburg

After last year's break, nuclear subs will again be on display. The K-561 Kazan and the B-448 Tambov will both be present at the Main Naval Parade in St. Petersburg on July 28.
July 08, 2024

Government prolongs Russia's permission to call on ports in Northern Norway

The Norwegian Government on Friday made clear that Russian fishing vessels are welcome to visit the three ports of Tromsø, Båtsfjord and Kirkenes. Simultaneously, stricter control measures are introduced.
July 05, 2024

From Arctic pioneer to sanctioned transporter of stolen grain

The bulk-carrier sailing the historic Europe to Asia transit via the Northern Sea Route in 2010 is now the first to arrive in Venezuela with stolen Ukrainian grain from occupied Sevastopol.
July 04, 2024

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Thomas Nilsen is editor of the Barents Observer. 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 Russia and the Arctic. 

Thomas has been traveling extensively across northern Scandinavia and Arctic Russia since the late 80’s working for different media and NGOs. He has also been a guide at sea and in remote locations in the Russian north for various groups and regularly lectures on security, environment and Russia’s repressive influence operations.

In 2017, FSB declared Thomas Nilsen persona non grata (PNG) and since 2019 the censorship agency Roscomnadzor has attempted to block the Barents Observer from the Russian internet.

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

Mobile: +47-90573143

thomas@thebarentsobserver.com
@nilsen.thomas