The Barents Observer
@thebarentsobserver.com
Europe's northernmost independent English-Russian online newspaper. Cross-border news from the Arctic, Russia, and Nordic. Fighting censorship, supporting democracy! Our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebarentsobserver
Le Monde: The Barents Observer is a «target of intimidation from the Kremlin»
December 26, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Le Monde: The Barents Observer is a «target of intimidation from the Kremlin»
Russian students are forced to use Putin's national messaging app Max
Students in Russia are forced to use Putin's national messaging app Max
Russian universities are transferring communication related educational processes to the new state-controlled messaging system Max, effectively forcing students to install the app. The ones who refus...
www.thebarentsobserver.com
December 23, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Russian students are forced to use Putin's national messaging app Max
A legion of young men from indigenous Nenets villages are perishing in the war
Vladislav Yapuntai was killed in Ukraine
A legion of young men from indigenous Nenets villages are perishing in the war. 26-year-old Vladislav Yapuntai is one of at least 17 members of the Yapuntai family that have been killed on the battlef...
www.thebarentsobserver.com
December 22, 2025 at 4:04 PM
A legion of young men from indigenous Nenets villages are perishing in the war
"We. Are. Watching," says NATO as Russian spy ship "Yantar" sails along the north Norwegian coast
'We. Are. Watching,' says NATO
Ships operating for Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 shadowed the Russian spy ship Yantar and the Northern Fleet destroyer Severomorsk along the North Norwegian coast.
www.thebarentsobserver.com
December 19, 2025 at 2:51 PM
"We. Are. Watching," says NATO as Russian spy ship "Yantar" sails along the north Norwegian coast
After exhausting negotiations, Norway and Russia agree about next year's catch quotas in the Barents Sea. The cod quota for 2026 is the lowest since 1991
Norway, Russia reach agreement on fisheries
After record-long negotiations, the two sides agree on next year's catch quotas in the Barents Sea.
www.thebarentsobserver.com
December 19, 2025 at 12:20 PM
After exhausting negotiations, Norway and Russia agree about next year's catch quotas in the Barents Sea. The cod quota for 2026 is the lowest since 1991
The "Christophe de Margerie," one of Russia's shadow tankers, has made port call at the Utrenny terminal after a several thousand kilometre-long mid-winter voyage across the ice-covered Northern Sea Route
This year's last voyage on Northern Sea Route goes to sanctioned LNG terminal
The Christophe de Margerie, a 'shadow tanker,' has made port call at the Utrenny terminal in the Gydan Peninsula after a 6,000-kilometre-long voyage across the ice-covered Arctic route.
www.thebarentsobserver.com
December 19, 2025 at 11:06 AM
The "Christophe de Margerie," one of Russia's shadow tankers, has made port call at the Utrenny terminal after a several thousand kilometre-long mid-winter voyage across the ice-covered Northern Sea Route
The Russian Paralympic Committee is cooperating with Putin's war ministry and several ultra-patriotic organisations in efforts to train crippled warriors for international sport events
Russian men crippled in war are now training for the Paralympics
Warriors disabled in the war of aggression against Ukraine are aiming for participation in the Paralympic Games.
www.thebarentsobserver.com
December 18, 2025 at 5:10 PM
The Russian Paralympic Committee is cooperating with Putin's war ministry and several ultra-patriotic organisations in efforts to train crippled warriors for international sport events
The Norwegian environmental organisation Nature and Youth has been declared an "undesirable organisation" in Russia. The organisation has worked with Russian partners for more than 30 years
Moscow declares Nature and Youth an 'undesirable organisation'
The Norwegian environmental youth organisation has worked with Russian partners for more than 30 years.
www.thebarentsobserver.com
December 17, 2025 at 2:36 PM
The Norwegian environmental organisation Nature and Youth has been declared an "undesirable organisation" in Russia. The organisation has worked with Russian partners for more than 30 years
With an underwater drone, the Ukrainians destroyed a Russian Varshavyanka-class submarine in the Black Sea port of Novorossiisk. A fleet of six subs of the same class is planned built for the Northern Fleet. They will all carry names of occupied Ukrainian cities
The Ukrainians just destroyed one. Another six Improved Kilo-class subs will come to Russia's Northern Fleet
With an underwater drone, the Ukrainian Security Service destroyed an Improved Kilo-class (Varshavyanka) sub in the port of Novorossiisk. A fleet of six subs of the same class is planned built for the...
www.thebarentsobserver.com
December 16, 2025 at 3:50 PM
With an underwater drone, the Ukrainians destroyed a Russian Varshavyanka-class submarine in the Black Sea port of Novorossiisk. A fleet of six subs of the same class is planned built for the Northern Fleet. They will all carry names of occupied Ukrainian cities
Putin orders building of North Pole ice base
Putin orders building of North Pole ice base
The Artur Chilingarov Ice Base will be located on an ice floe and house tourists who are ready to pay a minimum of €40,000 for a five-day visit.
www.thebarentsobserver.com
December 16, 2025 at 12:23 PM
Putin orders building of North Pole ice base
Over three decades, Norway invested heavily in bridge-building measures aimed at neighbouring Russian regions. It failed. The government in Oslo is now preparing a plan for blowing up bridges in case of a Russian attack
After three decades of bridge-building comes a plan for detonation
Norway bet on a democratic development in Russia and invested heavily in building bridges - both literally and in a political and human sense, with neighbouring Russian regions. It failed. The governm...
www.thebarentsobserver.com
December 15, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Over three decades, Norway invested heavily in bridge-building measures aimed at neighbouring Russian regions. It failed. The government in Oslo is now preparing a plan for blowing up bridges in case of a Russian attack
Barents Observer journalist Olesia Krivtsova to be tried under 'foreign agent' article www.thebarentsobserver.com/democracy-an... image.thebarentsobserver.com/128812.webp?...
December 12, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Barents Observer journalist Olesia Krivtsova to be tried under 'foreign agent' article www.thebarentsobserver.com/democracy-an... image.thebarentsobserver.com/128812.webp?...
Less catch, higher prices: what is happening at the Murmansk Fish Port
Less catch, higher prices: what is happening at the Murmansk Fish Port
The cargo turnover of the Murmansk sea fish port has almost halved since the beginning of 2025 and continues to decline — in December, the port expects to handle no more than 10,000 tonnes.
www.thebarentsobserver.com
December 12, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Less catch, higher prices: what is happening at the Murmansk Fish Port
Russian lawmakers: Regime critics who 'hide abroad' will be punished
www.thebarentsobserver.com/democracy-an...
www.thebarentsobserver.com/democracy-an...
December 12, 2025 at 10:49 AM
Russian lawmakers: Regime critics who 'hide abroad' will be punished
www.thebarentsobserver.com/democracy-an...
www.thebarentsobserver.com/democracy-an...
New paper about Russian subversive activities on Svalbard after 2014 is published by the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats (Hybrid CoE). Written by the two UiT professors @kariagam.bsky.social &
@stianbones.bsky.social and Barents Observer editor @thomasnilsen.bsky.social
@stianbones.bsky.social and Barents Observer editor @thomasnilsen.bsky.social
Hybrid threats in high latitudes: Facing Russia on Svalbard
This Hybrid CoE Paper outlines how Moscow blends information campaigns, coercive signalling at sea, symbolic gestures and surprise visits to challenge Norwegian authority while remaining below the thr...
www.hybridcoe.fi
December 12, 2025 at 7:44 AM
New paper about Russian subversive activities on Svalbard after 2014 is published by the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats (Hybrid CoE). Written by the two UiT professors @kariagam.bsky.social &
@stianbones.bsky.social and Barents Observer editor @thomasnilsen.bsky.social
@stianbones.bsky.social and Barents Observer editor @thomasnilsen.bsky.social
PODCAST: Moscow has conducted numerous hybrid operations and provocations on Svalbard, says Stian Bones, history professor at the UiT Arctic University of Norway
'Russia uses hybrid threats on Svalbard'
Moscow has conducted numerous hybrid operations and provocations on Svalbard, says Stian Bones. The history professor at the UiT Arctic University of Norway talks with the Barents Observer about his n...
www.thebarentsobserver.com
December 11, 2025 at 9:03 PM
PODCAST: Moscow has conducted numerous hybrid operations and provocations on Svalbard, says Stian Bones, history professor at the UiT Arctic University of Norway
The Russian Northern Fleet is renaming its ships after killed aggressors
Russian naval ships are renamed after killed aggressors
According to Russian authorities, Denis Vasilchenko killed 18 Ukrainian men before he himself was killed on the battlefield. Now the former Northern Fleet submariner and invader of foreign land is hon...
www.thebarentsobserver.com
December 10, 2025 at 2:02 PM
The Russian Northern Fleet is renaming its ships after killed aggressors
There were several powerful icebreakers in the area, but the 293-metre-long shadow tanker still did not manage to make it through the sea ice
Shadow tanker blocked by Arctic sea ice
There were several powerful icebreakers in the area, but the 293-metre-long gas carrier Buran still had to give up its efforts to reach the Utrenny terminal in the Gulf of Ob.
www.thebarentsobserver.com
December 9, 2025 at 6:10 PM
There were several powerful icebreakers in the area, but the 293-metre-long shadow tanker still did not manage to make it through the sea ice
The Northern Fleet’s new minesweeper is named after a Soviet captain who commanded a US-made naval vessel during 2WW
New minesweeper is named after Soviet captain who commanded US-made naval vessel
The Sredne-Nevsky Shipyard in St. Petersburg has put the Dmitry Lysov on the water. The ship, which will be based in the Northern Fleet, is named after a captain who commanded one the USSR's many US-m...
www.thebarentsobserver.com
December 8, 2025 at 6:35 PM
The Northern Fleet’s new minesweeper is named after a Soviet captain who commanded a US-made naval vessel during 2WW
Talented cross-country skier and Olympic hopeful Savelii Korostelev has a link to Russia's armed forces. It complicates his return to international sports
Olympic hopeful Savelii Korostelev has link to Russia's armed forces
The talented cross-country skier used to represent CSKA, the sport club of the Russian armed forces. It could hamper his possibility to participate in international competitions, including the upcomin...
www.thebarentsobserver.com
December 8, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Talented cross-country skier and Olympic hopeful Savelii Korostelev has a link to Russia's armed forces. It complicates his return to international sports
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Rakas Suomi, hyvää itsenäisyyspäivää!
Happy Independence day Finland!
Rakas Suomi, hyvää itsenäisyyspäivää!
Happy Independence day Finland!
December 6, 2025 at 10:06 AM
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Rakas Suomi, hyvää itsenäisyyspäivää!
Happy Independence day Finland!
Rakas Suomi, hyvää itsenäisyyspäivää!
Happy Independence day Finland!
Banned and blocked. There are hardly free digital communication channels left in Russia after Moscow this week banned Snapchat, WhatsApp and FaceTime
Banned and blocked. Russia says good-bye to messaging apps
There are hardly free digital communication channels left in the country after Moscow this week banned Snapchat, WhatsApp and FaceTime.
www.thebarentsobserver.com
December 6, 2025 at 9:34 AM
Banned and blocked. There are hardly free digital communication channels left in Russia after Moscow this week banned Snapchat, WhatsApp and FaceTime
Norway buys two more submarines for 'turbulent times' in the North Atlantic
Norway buys more subs for 'turbulent times' in the North Atlantic
'We are a coastal and maritime nation and submarines are a crucial part of our defence,' says Defence Minister Tore O Sandvik as the Nordic country announces the acquisition of another two subs from G...
www.thebarentsobserver.com
December 5, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Norway buys two more submarines for 'turbulent times' in the North Atlantic
Norway finds more oil in the Barents Sea. Despite climate concerns, the country will in 2026 boost its investments in the oil industry with 7% to about €23,34 billion
New finding is making 'Goliat' even bigger
The Vår Energi oil company has made a discovery near its Goliat field in the Barents Sea. Despite climate concerns, Norway will in 2026 boost its oil investments with 7% to about 275 billion kroner (€...
www.thebarentsobserver.com
December 4, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Norway finds more oil in the Barents Sea. Despite climate concerns, the country will in 2026 boost its investments in the oil industry with 7% to about €23,34 billion
A first-of-its-kind defence agreement that will let the two 🇬🇧 🇳🇴 navies operating side-by-side in the North Atlantic.
UK and Norway team up to hunt Russian submarines and undersea sabotage
New frigates, joint P-8 maritime aircraft patrols and more frequent anti-sabotage elite training were on the table when Norway and the UK on Thursday signed a first-of-its-kind defence agreement that ...
www.thebarentsobserver.com
December 4, 2025 at 1:18 PM
A first-of-its-kind defence agreement that will let the two 🇬🇧 🇳🇴 navies operating side-by-side in the North Atlantic.