Thomas Nilsen

Sevmash yard begins construction of two more ballistic missile subs

Busy days are getting even busier for builders of Russia’s new fleet of the Borei class submarines. Keel laying ceremony for the ninth and tenth vessel in the class took place in Severodvinsk on August 23.
August 24, 2021

Russia readies Burevestnik testing at Novaya Zemlya

A large area in the eastern Barents Sea is closed off and new satellite images show massive activity at Pankovo, Russia's test launch site for the nuclear-powered cruise missile.
August 19, 2021

In a surprise direction, Northern Fleet grouping sails west of Svalbard on annual Arctic voyage

The anti-submarine destroyer Severomorsk leads the Russian navy group, said to carry out “a set of measured aimed at protecting the interests of the Russian Federation in the Arctic.”
August 18, 2021

Record profits for iron-ore miner LKAB

The Kiruna-based mining company doubled sales and posted an operating profit of 9,1 billion Swedish kroner (€898 million) in the second quarter compared with same period last year.
August 12, 2021

Nornickel triples pre-tax profit, invests $1,4 billion in Monchegorsk

Higher metal prices driven by growing demand more than compensated losses caused by flooded mines and a record high fine for last year’s oil spill on the Siberian tundra.
August 12, 2021

Here comes Norway's new ice-strengthened coast guard ship

Vanishing sea ice gives Norway more waters to patrol. The hull for the first of three new Coast Guard ships to operate in the Arctic zone is now being towed from the shipyard in Romania.
August 11, 2021

Norway’s new ‘eyes and ears’ in the north performs maiden flight

The plane is the first of five new Boeing P-8A Poseidon to fly out from Evenes airport in northern Norway over waters where Russian submarines are sailing more frequently.
August 11, 2021

Russian troopers train radiation combat skills in borderland to Norway

Soldiers with the Northern Fleet’s special unit exercised operations in a simulated radioactive contaminated war zone in the Pechenga valley, some 15 kilometers from the border to Norway.
August 10, 2021

Sevmorput returns to Arctic after troublesome year

The nuclear-powered cargo ship crossed the Arctic Circle at 66°34'N early Tuesday morning.
August 10, 2021

With low vaccination rate, Russia’s COVID-19 deaths surge to all-time high

Eight deaths in Murmansk reported on Friday mirrors the overall surge in nationwide fatalities. 23,372 people died from COVID-19 in June, according to Rosstat. Since then, the daily number of deaths has increased.
August 07, 2021

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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