Thomas Nilsen

Climate crisis tops agenda as parliamentarians meet ahead of Arctic Council ministerial

April 11, 2021

Heavily-armed frigate sails Norwegian Sea to "ensure safety of Russian fishermen"

This is the first time Russia’s Northern Fleet is tasked to serve fishing vessels in waters that are part of Norway’s Economic Zone.
April 11, 2021

U.S. Special Operation Forces exercise winter combat in northern Sweden

Concern over increased Russian military activity and a deteriorating security situation makes non-NATO country Sweden to seek closer cooperation with the United States.
April 08, 2021

Northern Fleet marines use clearly marked Red Cross vehicle as target and cover in ambushing drill

Exercising raid tactics in the Pechenga valley near Russia's border to Norway, a tracked vehicle marked to clearly identify medical personnel in the field was both attacked and used to transport non-medics, heavily armed soldiers.
April 02, 2021

Military constructs kindergarten for 360 kids at Novaya Zemlya

Russia wants to improve life so more military families can settle in the town of Belushya Guba at the remote and strictly closed Arctic archipelago.
April 01, 2021

Arctic LNG 2 aims to raise $11 billion in a 50/50 split between domestic and Asian banks

Another $10 billion will be raised by the shareholders in the project, bringing the total costs for the liquid natural gas plant up to $21,3 billion, the business daily Kommersant reports.
April 01, 2021

Cold weather perfect to pioneer electric aviation says Finnair and signs intention to purchase 20 battery planes

The Swedish-developed 19-seater ES-19 electric aircraft for short-haul routes could be ready for take-off with passengers by 2026.
March 30, 2021

Busy day for Russian military in the skies above Arctic

MiG-31BM on five hours North Pole mission, Tu-142 maritime reconnaissance flight along the coast of Norway south to the North Sea, and Tu-160 strategic bombers flying over the Barents-, and Norwegian Seas. All on the same day as the Northern Fleet launched an Arctic strategic command and staff training exercise in Severomorsk.
March 30, 2021

Norwegian frigate on patrol close to Kola Peninsula

"KNM Thor Heyerdahl" will maintain presence and preparedness in the north in the times ahead.
March 29, 2021

Three nuclear ballistic missile subs surfaced simultaneously through the ice in complex Russian Arctic exercise

Exercise Umka-21 is Russia’s most complex military drill in the high Arctic, involving fighter jets, torpedo shootings and Arctic brigade soldiers training warfare on Franz Josef Land.
March 26, 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