Thomas Nilsen

Ramishvili and his Nordic colleagues all summoned over Navalny death

The killing of opposition leader Aleksei Navalny, who died in a Siberian prison camp last week, triggers strong diplomatic reactions.
February 20, 2024

Elizaveta was on the plane with Navalny back to Russia. "He seemed in a positive mood, but quiet"

We knew it was a historic moment, says journalist Elizaveta Vereykina as she in January 2021 reported from the Berlin to Moscow flight in Aleksei Navalny's final hours in freedom.
February 17, 2024

One-person protest in Murmansk: "His blood is on your hands Vova"

Kremlin critics inside Russia and around the World blame Putin for the death of opposition activist Aleksei Navalny.
February 16, 2024

Murmansk-based bombers launched large-scale missile attack against Ukraine

A fleet of Tu-95MS strategic bombers had take-off from Olenya Air Base on the Kola Peninsula shortly after midnight. A few hours later, cruise missiles started to cross the skies in Ukraine.
February 15, 2024

“We should not close those doors and throw the keys away," says Norway PM on Arctic Council cooperation with Russia

Moscow on Wednesday said it has suspended payment of annual contributions to the Arctic Council.
February 14, 2024

Europe's northernmost cross-border railway still closed two months after ore train derailed

Halt in rail transport between Kiruna and Narvik causes big challenges for Sweden’s largest mining company. It also highlights the sensitivity of poor infrastructure for NATO’s military reinforcement of northernmost Scandinavia.
February 14, 2024

British aircraft carrier sets sail for exercise inside Arctic Circle

Armed with F-35, Merlin and Wildcat helicopters, the carrier will take a lead role in Norway’s large-scale allied winter exercise Nordic Response.
February 13, 2024

Russian bombers outside Finnmark ahead of exercise Nordic Response

Two Tu-95 strategic bombers escorted by Su-35 fighter jets flew west in the Barents Sea over international air space Monday.
February 12, 2024

Stricter rules apply to tourists heading to Svalbard

Increased Arctic tourism has resulted in bigger pressure on vulnerable wildlife and nature.
February 09, 2024

Støre: No plans to lift restrictions on NATO activities near border with Russia

A British Air Force plane was Tuesday flying back-and-forth over the Varanger Fjord a few nautical miles from Norway’s border with Russia. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, however, says to the Barents Observer that there are no plans to change self-imposed restrictions for NATO flights over the East-Finnmark region.
February 08, 2024

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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