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Thomas Nilsen

Thomas worked for the Norwegian Barents Secretariat between 2003 and 2015. Between 2009 and 2015 he was the editor of BarentsObserver. Before that 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 travelling extensively in the Barents Region and northern 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 and socio-economic development in the Barents Region. Thomas Nilsen studied at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. 

Content by Thomas Nilsen

Finnmark Governor insists installation of new navigation marks along Russia’s heavily militarized Kola Peninsula coast must be completed before allowing shipment of spent nuclear fuel.

”The aircraft is a central part of the Government’s efforts to strengthen Norway’s defensive capabilities,” says Minister of Defence, Ine Eriksen Søreide. Unlike today’s fleet of F-16 fighters, the entire new fleet of combat aircrafts will be based south of the Arctic Circle.

War-games at sea and in air over the Barents Region.

Two Oscar-II class nuclear powered submarine is part of large-scale Northern Fleet drill currently taking place outside the Kola Peninsula.

Visa applicants from remote areas in northern Norway can still send passport and papers by mail and have them delivered to the visa centre by some locals.

Andrey Vokuev in Naryan-Mar fears for the cooperation between indigenous peoples. Next week, applicants from the Nenets tundra will have to fly to Arkhangelsk to give fingerprints to get a Schengen visa.

Norway’s Consulate General in Murmansk assures that urgent visa applications in Arkhangelsk still can be issued with express delivery. 

The world’s northernmost mining company lays off up to 150 at its Lunckefjell coalmine in Svea.

People participating in culture-, sport and Barents cooperation projects can from October apply for visa to Norway without paying a single ruble, says Marit Egholm Jacobsen with the Norwegian Consulate General in Murmansk.

Travelers from Arkhangelsk are told to apply at least one month prior to departure and should add another 770 rubles in fee.