Thomas Nilsen

Zig-zag pattern. Reduced speed. A Russian nuclear-powered cargo ship steaming outside Africa towards Antarctic attracts attention

The "Sevmorput" carries modules for the new huge Vostok research station for Antarctica.
October 20, 2020

Substantially bigger cod quotas

The cod stocks in northern waters are in good health with sustainable catches. The 2021 quota is set at 885,600 tons, up 20 percent.
October 18, 2020

Sweden to re-establish northern regiment, fears armed attack

"Sweden will be affected if crisis or an armed conflict arises in our neighbourhood. An armed attack against Sweden cannot be ruled out,” said Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist as he presented the defence bill for the next five-years period.
October 17, 2020

Sweden to launch satellites from space center inside the Arctic Circle

The Swedish government provides additional funding to Esrange Space Center near Kiruna with the aim to launch small satellites into orbit by 2022.
October 15, 2020

Norway follows EU on Russia sanctions over Navalny poisoning

The European Union on Wednesday agreed to sanction six individuals in Russia and one organization over the poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny. All six are members of Putin's inner circle.
October 15, 2020

Norway blames Russia for cyber attack

The email system at the Norwegian Parliament was hacked on August 24. Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Søreide now points the finger of blame on Russia.
October 13, 2020

COVID-19 spikes in Severomorsk as Russia sets single-day record for new infections

With 28 new cases on Tuesday, the Russian Northern Fleet's headquarters base now has reached 1,579 confirmed coronavirus infections.
October 13, 2020

Murmansk sees growth in domestic tourists amid crisis for international travel

The Russian north sees more domestic tourists, but tour operator Sergey Arzumanov in Murmansk says closed borders, quarantine measures and lack of a clear timetable for opening cause a colossal economic burden on businesses and people employed in tourism.
October 13, 2020

Double-decker train starts operations to Murmansk

Improved quality, service and capacity. The renovation program of Russian Railways has reached the northern capital of Murmansk.
October 13, 2020

Equinor's Barents Sea LNG plant will stay closed for the rest of the year

Norway's petroleum major Equinor has started investigation into the September 28 fire and now says a restart of production will take time.
October 13, 2020

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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