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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

The American oil major lost big money after cooperation with Rosneft in the Arctic, Black Sea and Western Siberia was wound down last year.

Authorities unsuccessfully banned Sunday’s rally in memory of opposition politician Boris Nemtsov who was gunned down and killed in Moscow Friday night.

No cold international climate stops Norway and Russia to invest heavily in cross-border road infrastructure. Excavators and dump trucks work day and night upgrading Russia’s highway to NATO.

Falling oil price hits Norway hard. Exported crude oil for NOK 13.2 billion (€1.54 billion) in January, less than half from the corresponding month last year.

Norway will no longer have a Commissioner dressed in military uniform on its border to Russia. Ellen Katrine Hætta could take over the position as part of the Government’s nationwide police reform.

68 new windmills soon to be approved near Skellefteå. In 2014, Europe installed more new wind energy capacity than gas and coal combined.

“Whatever the pressure, Rakurs will continue to support LGBT community, to provide legal and psychological help. And we are going to challenge this wrongful decision in the court,” says Tatiana Vinnichenko, head of the organization.

CEO of Norwegian Air Shuttle, Bjørn Kjos, says Russian airliners should be denied to overfly Norwegian territory. His Dreamliner is forced to fly around Russian territory on routes from Scandinavia to Bangkok.

Murmansk based organization providing legal support to victims of homophobia continues to work and will appeal decision.

“It is timely to look into what we are going to spend Norwegian money on. Russia must take responsibility,” says Norway’s Foreign Minister Børge Brende commenting on the increase in radioactive waste to be accumulated as Russia’s nuclear submarine construction hit post-Soviet peak.