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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

Lavrov claims Norwegian leader will attend May 9 celebration in Moscow – Oslo says no decision made

The Kremlin has invited 68 world leaders to participate during the military parade at the Red Square and celebration of the 70th annivers

March 17, 2015

Bellona fears another “Kursk” accident

Crew members get stressed and limits are pushed when the alarm bell calls for snap combat readiness exercises like the ongoing one with the Northern Fleet. History tells us that submarine accidents happen when tensions are high, says Nils Bøhmer with Bellona.

March 17, 2015

Oil fund makes every Norwegian paper millionaires

The Government Pension Fund Global is now worth more than 7.000 billion kroner (€796 billion). If divided on the 5,2 million Norwegians, each one would have 1,35 million. That is five times the annual net income of a Swede.

March 17, 2015

Will Lavrov attend top-meeting in Oulu?

Last Barents Council meeting in Norway was the first in history without attendance of a Russian Foreign Minister. Will Lavrov come for the ministerial meeting in Finland this autumn?

March 16, 2015

Northern Fleet put on full combat alert exercise

After being away from public appearance for 10 days, the Russian President first thing Monday ordered full alert in a snap combat readiness exercise for the Northern Fleet based on the Kola Peninsula.

March 16, 2015

Peace and stability crucial for Arctic economy

The overall goal for Norwegian Arctic Policy is to ensure that the current geopolitical tensions do not spill over and pose a challenge to peace and stability characterizing the region, says Foreign Minister Børge Brende.

March 13, 2015

Finnish border officers carry guns while on patrol in Norway

Terrorism fears, with police and soldiers likely targets, is the reason for the special decision to allow Finnish Border Guards to be armed when on patrol in the normally relaxed town of Kirkenes in Norway’s northeastern corner.

March 11, 2015

See the dramatic ice edge images from northern Barents Sea

Instead of expanding like normally this time of the year, sea ice vanished last month in huge areas north of Svalbard and in the northern Barents Sea. 2015 could be all-time minimum for late winter, likely to be followed by record little ice the coming summer.

March 10, 2015

Norway launches High North military exercise

5000 soldiers and 400 vehicles take part in the largest winter exercise in Finnmark since 1967.

March 09, 2015

Cheaper ruble boosts cross-border petrol traffic

Norwegians living in Eastern Finnmark have access to cheaper petrol than any other places in Western Europe. 36 rubel per litre, or 4,4 kroner. That is 10 kroner cheaper than in Kirkenes.

March 03, 2015