Thomas Nilsen

In a controversial move, Norway sails frigate into Russian economic zone together with U.K. and U.S. navy ships

This is the first time since the 90ties NATO surface warships are conducting maritime security operations inside the Russian exclusive economic zone in the Barents Sea without participating Northern Fleet ships.
September 08, 2020

Arctic Frontiers goes digital, and only that

Norway's high-profile conference on Arctic issues for 2021 moves from the venue in Tromsø to a digital platform.
September 07, 2020

Svalbard experienced hottest summer on record

Glaciers are melting, permafrost thaws and buildings are sagging. What scares the scientists most is studies of decomposing carbon from beneath the ground being emitted to the atmosphere as CO2 or methane.
September 07, 2020

Norway appoints first woman as Consul General in Murmansk

Astrid Nærum is the eleventh Consul General since Norway opened the diplomatic mission to Murmansk in 1993, but she is the first woman in the position.
September 04, 2020

Sámi campaigners deliver 37,200 signatures against mining in reindeer herding area

September 02, 2020

Wealthy tourists might soon be able to discover Norway’s Arctic coast from this submarine

Preparing for the post-COVID-19 era, Seabourn launches ultra-luxury Norway winter cruises.
September 02, 2020

World’s first fossil-free steelmaking starts in northern Sweden

The unique pilot plant in Luleå is a first step in decarbonizing the steel industry, which today counts for 7% of global man-made greenhouse gas emissions.
September 01, 2020

Man killed by polar bear near Longyearbyen airport

The polar bear attacked the man at the campsite just next to the airport in Longyearbyen.
August 28, 2020

American spy-plane circles Russian Northern Fleet's exercise waters

Tensions are high around Scandinavia, so also in the north: The U.S. Air Force RC-135 Combat Sent is Wednesday morning on mission over the Barents Sea outside Russia's strategically most important navy bases for nuclear-powered submarines.
August 26, 2020

U.S. Navy's most advanced attack submarine surfaced outside Tromsø

The USS Seawolf conducted a brief stop in the fjord near Tromsø on August 21 for personnel change before sailing out to waters inside the Arctic Circle.
August 25, 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