1<!DOCTYPE html> 2<html lang="en-GB" dir="ltr" class="resp_fonts" data-hostpath="about-us"> 3 <head> 4 5 <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"> 6 7
7<script> 8 window.labClientAPIReady = new Promise(function (resolve) { 9 document.addEventListener( 10 'labClientAPIReady', 11 function () { resolve(window.labClientAPI); }, 12 { once: true } 13 ); 14 }); 15 </script>
15 16
16<script type="module"> 17 import { ClientAPI } from '/view-resources/baseview/public/common/ClientAPI/index.js?v=1789115892-L4'; 18 window.labClientAPI = new ClientAPI({ 19 pageData: { 20 url: 'https://www.thebarentsobserver.com/about-us', 21 pageType: 'front', 22 pageId: '100548', 23 section: '', 24 subsection: '', 25 title: '', 26 seotitle: 'About us - thebarentsobserver', 27 sometitle: 'about us - thebarentsobserver', 28 description: '', 29 seodescription: '', 30 somedescription: '', 31 device: 'desktop', 32 cms: 'labrador', 33 cmsVersion: '4.2.22', 34 contentLanguage: 'en-GB', 35 published: '', 36 modified: '2026-09-22 14:02:54', 37 38 39 tags: [], 40 bylines: [], 41 site: { 42 domain: 'https://www.thebarentsobserver.com', 43 id: '2', 44 alias: 'thebarentsobserver', 45 name: 'thebarentsobserver' 46 }, 47 paid: 0, 48 paywall: 'internal' 49 }, 50 debug: false 51 }); 52 document.dispatchEvent(new Event('labClientAPIReady')); 53 </script>
53 54 <title>About us - thebarentsobserver</title> 55 <meta name="title" content="About us - thebarentsobserver"> 56 <meta name="description" content=""> 57 <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.thebarentsobserver.com/about-us"> 58 <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> 59 <meta property="og:type" content="website"> 60 <meta property="og:title" content="about us - thebarentsobserver"> 61 <meta property="og:description" content=""> 62 <meta property="og:site_name" content="thebarentsobserver"> 63 64 <meta name="google-site-verification" content="YdYiAI0nWawRwI9E4-PH_ddErZMQgCaQJPT8C3irg2E"> 65
65<script src="https://assets.mailmojo.no/sdk.js" data-token="Dgw4GSCTrOtseIGd08SubD9WtNyjc3" async></script>
65<script src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/donate/sdk/donate-sdk.js" charset="UTF-8"></script>
65<script > 66 67PayPal.Donation.Button({ 68 69env:'production', 70 71hosted_button_id:'KSLE85AR8JDAE', 72 73image: { 74 75src:'https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/NO/i/btn/btn_donateCC_LG.gif', 76 77alt:'Donate with PayPal button', 78 79title:'PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!', 80 81} 82 83}).render('#donate-button'); 84 85</script>
85 86 <style >.pageHeader .pageHeaderTop { 87 border-bottom: 0px solid var(--bg-black) !important; 88}</style> 89 90
91<script> 92const PROVIDER_CONFIG = null 93; 94 95if (PROVIDER_CONFIG && !window.__labradorPaywallClientAPIInitialized) { 96 window.__labradorPaywallClientAPIInitialized = true; 97 98 const LOG_PREFIX = '[Paywall:' + PROVIDER_CONFIG.provider + ']'; 99 100 function checkAuthState() { 101 if (!window.userStatus) { 102 return; 103 } 104 window.userStatus.verify().then(function() { 105 var status = window.userStatus.getStatus(PROVIDER_CONFIG.right); 106 var engagentlyToken = window.userStatus.getEngagently(); 107 108 if (status >= 2) { 109 window.labClientAPI.emit('accessGranted', { 110 provider: PROVIDER_CONFIG.provider, 111 paid: status, 112 engagentlyToken: engagentlyToken 113 }); 114 } else { 115 var data = { provider: PROVIDER_CONFIG.provider, paid: status || 0 }; 116 if (engagentlyToken) data.engagentlyToken = engagentlyToken; 117 window.labClientAPI.emit('accessDenied', data); 118 } 119 }).catch(function(err) { 120 window.labClientAPI.emit('accessDenied', { provider: PROVIDER_CONFIG.provider, paid: 0 }); 121 }); 122 } 123 124 window.labClientAPIReady.then(function(api) { 125 api.set(PROVIDER_CONFIG.provider + 'PaywallHelper', { 126 checkNow: function() { return (window.userStatus && window.userStatus.getStatus(PROVIDER_CONFIG.right)) || 0; }, 127 getStatus: checkAuthState 128 }); 129 checkAuthState(); 130 }); 131} 132</script>
132 133 <meta property="og:url" content="https://www.thebarentsobserver.com/about-us"> 134 <link type="image/png" rel="icon" sizes="32x32" href="/view-resources/dachser2/public/thebarentsobserver/favicon-32x32.png"> 135 136 <link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Merriweather:300,400,700,900" rel="stylesheet" > 137 <link rel="stylesheet" href="/view-resources/view/css/grid.css?v=1789115892-L4"> 138 <link rel="stylesheet" href="/view-resources/view/css/main.css?v=1789115892-L4"> 139 <link rel="stylesheet" href="/view-resources/view/css/colors.css?v=1789115892-L4"> 140 <link rel="stylesheet" href="/view-resources/view/css/print.css?v=1789115892-L4" media="print"> 141 <link rel="stylesheet" href="/view-resources/view/css/foundation-icons/foundation-icons.css?v=1789115892-L4"> 142 <link rel="stylesheet" href="/view-resources/view/css/site/thebarentsobserver.css?v=1789115892-L4"> 143 <style data-key="custom_properties"> 144 :root{--primary: rgba(255,140,0,1);--secondary: 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1023px) { .color_mobile_bg-primary.op-bg_20 {background-color: rgba(255, 140, 0, 0.2);}}@media (max-width: 1023px) { .color_mobile_bg-primary.op-bg_40 {background-color: rgba(255, 140, 0, 0.4);}}@media (max-width: 1023px) { .color_mobile_bg-primary.op-bg_60 {background-color: rgba(255, 140, 0, 0.6);}}@media (max-width: 1023px) { .color_mobile_bg-primary.op-bg_80 {background-color: rgba(255, 140, 0, 0.8);}}@media (max-width: 1023px) { .color_mobile_bg-secondary.op-bg_20 {background-color: rgba(67, 156, 225, 0.2);}}@media (max-width: 1023px) { .color_mobile_bg-secondary.op-bg_40 {background-color: rgba(67, 156, 225, 0.4);}}@media (max-width: 1023px) { .color_mobile_bg-secondary.op-bg_60 {background-color: rgba(67, 156, 225, 0.6);}}@media (max-width: 1023px) { .color_mobile_bg-secondary.op-bg_80 {background-color: rgba(67, 156, 225, 0.8);}}@media (max-width: 1023px) { .color_mobile_bg-white.op-bg_20 {background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.2);}}@media (max-width: 1023px) { .color_mobile_bg-white.op-bg_40 {background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.4);}}@media (max-width: 1023px) { .color_mobile_bg-white.op-bg_60 {background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.6);}}@media (max-width: 1023px) { .color_mobile_bg-white.op-bg_80 {background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);}}@media (max-width: 1023px) { .color_mobile_bg-black.op-bg_20 {background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2);color: #fff;}}@media (max-width: 1023px) { .color_mobile_bg-black.op-bg_40 {background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4);color: #fff;}}@media (max-width: 1023px) { .color_mobile_bg-black.op-bg_60 {background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6);color: #fff;}}@media (max-width: 1023px) { .color_mobile_bg-black.op-bg_80 {background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8);color: #fff;}} 151 </style> 152 <style data-key="border_colors"> 153 .border-bg-primary{--border-color: var(--bg-primary);}.mobile_border-bg-primary{--mobile-border-color: var(--bg-primary);}.border-bg-secondary{--border-color: var(--bg-secondary);}.mobile_border-bg-secondary{--mobile-border-color: var(--bg-secondary);}.border-bg-white{--border-color: var(--bg-white);}.mobile_border-bg-white{--mobile-border-color: var(--bg-white);}.border-bg-black{--border-color: var(--bg-black);}.mobile_border-bg-black{--mobile-border-color: var(--bg-black);} 154 </style> 155 <style data-key="font_colors"> 156 .primary {color: rgba(255,140,0,1) !important;}.secondary {color: rgba(67,156,225,1) !important;}.white {color: rgba(255,255,255,1) !important;}.black {color: rgba(0,0,0,1) !important;}@media (max-width: 1023px) { .color_mobile_primary {color: rgba(255,140,0,1) !important;}}@media (max-width: 1023px) { .color_mobile_secondary {color: rgba(67,156,225,1) !important;}}@media (max-width: 1023px) { .color_mobile_white {color: rgba(255,255,255,1) !important;}}@media (max-width: 1023px) { .color_mobile_black {color: rgba(0,0,0,1) !important;}} 157 </style> 158 <style data-key="image_gradient"> 159 .image-gradient-bg-primary{--background-color: var(--bg-primary);}.color_mobile_image-gradient-bg-primary{--mobile-background-color: var(--bg-primary);}.image-gradient-bg-secondary{--background-color: var(--bg-secondary);}.color_mobile_image-gradient-bg-secondary{--mobile-background-color: var(--bg-secondary);}.image-gradient-bg-white{--background-color: var(--bg-white);}.color_mobile_image-gradient-bg-white{--mobile-background-color: var(--bg-white);}.image-gradient-bg-black{--background-color: var(--bg-black);}.color_mobile_image-gradient-bg-black{--mobile-background-color: var(--bg-black);} 160 </style> 161 <style data-key="custom_css_variables"> 162 :root { 163 --lab_page_width: 1088px; 164 --lab_columns_gutter: 11px; 165 --lab_focus_ring_color: #005fcc; 166 --lab_social_hover_color: #008cba; 167 --space-top: 120; 168 --space-top-adnuntiusAd: ; 169 } 170 171 @media(max-width: 767px) { 172 :root { 173 --lab_columns_gutter: 10px; 174 } 175 } 176 177 @media(min-width: 767px) { 178 :root { 179 } 180 } 181 </style>
182<script src="/view-resources/public/common/JWTCookie.js?v=1789115892-L4"></script>
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182
183<script src="/view-resources/public/common/Paywall.js?v=1789115892-L4"></script>
183 184
184<script> 185 window.Dac = window.Dac || {}; 186 (function () { 187 if (navigator) { 188 window.Dac.clientData = { 189 language: navigator.language, 190 userAgent: navigator.userAgent, 191 innerWidth: window.innerWidth, 192 innerHeight: window.innerHeight, 193 deviceByMediaQuery: getDeviceByMediaQuery(), 194 labDevice: 'desktop', // Device from labrador 195 device: 'desktop', // Device from varnish 196 paywall: { 197 isAuthenticated: isPaywallAuthenticated(), 198 toggleAuthenticatedContent: toggleAuthenticatedContent, 199 requiredProducts: [], 200 }, 201 page: { 202 id: '100548', 203 extId: '' 204 }, 205 siteAlias: 'thebarentsobserver', 206 debug: window.location.href.includes('debug=1') 207 }; 208 function getDeviceByMediaQuery() { 209 if (window.matchMedia('(max-width: 767px)').matches) return 'mobile'; 210 if (window.matchMedia('(max-width: 1023px)').matches) return 'tablet'; 211 return 'desktop'; 212 } 213 214 function isPaywallAuthenticated() { 215 if (window.Dac && window.Dac.JWTCookie) { 216 var JWTCookie = new Dac.JWTCookie({ debug: false }); 217 return JWTCookie.isAuthenticated(); 218 } 219 return false; 220 } 221 222 function toggleAuthenticatedContent(settings) { 223 if (!window.Dac || !window.Dac.Paywall) { 224 return; 225 } 226 var Paywall = new Dac.Paywall(); 227 var updateDOM = Paywall.updateDOM; 228 229 if(settings && settings.displayUserName) { 230 var userName = Paywall.getUserName().then((userName) => { 231 updateDOM(userName !== false, userName, settings.optionalGreetingText); 232 }); 233 } else { 234 updateDOM(window.Dac.clientData.paywall.isAuthenticated); 235 } 236 } 237 } 238 }()); 239 </script>
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249 250 <link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Merriweather:regular,300,300italic,italic,700,700italic,900,900italic" rel="stylesheet" > 251 <link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Inter:regular,300,300italic,italic,700,700italic,900,900italic" rel="stylesheet" > 252 <style id="dachser-vieweditor-styles"> 253 body { font-family: "Inter"; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; } 254 .articleHeader .headline { font-family: "Merriweather"; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; } 255 .articleHeader .subtitle { font-family: "Merriweather"; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; } 256 article.column .content .headline { font-family: "Merriweather"; font-weight: 700; font-style: normal; } 257 article.column .content .subtitle { font-family: "Merriweather"; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; } 258 header#nav, header.pageHeader { font-family: "Inter"; font-weight: 700; font-style: normal; font-size: 1rem; }@media (max-width: 767px) { .resp_fonts header#nav, header.pageHeader {font-size: calc(0.262vw * 16); } } 259 .dropdownMenu ul li, .pageHeader .hamburger .hamburger-container .dropdownMenu ul li { font-family: "Inter"; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-size: 1.25rem; }@media (max-width: 767px) { .resp_fonts .dropdownMenu ul li, .pageHeader .hamburger .hamburger-container .dropdownMenu ul li {font-size: calc(0.262vw * 16); } } 260 .font-Merriweather { font-family: "Merriweather" !important; } 261 .font-Merriweather.font-weight-normal { font-weight: normal !important; } 262 .font-Merriweather.font-weight-light { font-weight: 300 !important; } 263 .font-Merriweather.font-weight-bold { font-weight: 700 !important; } 264 .font-Merriweather.font-weight-black { font-weight: 900 !important; } 265 .font-Inter { font-family: "Inter" !important; } 266 .font-Inter.font-weight-normal { font-weight: normal !important; } 267 .font-Inter.font-weight-light { font-weight: 300 !important; } 268 .font-Inter.font-weight-bold { font-weight: 700 !important; } 269 .font-Inter.font-weight-black { font-weight: 900 !important; } 270 </style> 271 <style id="css_variables"></style> 272
272<script> 273 window.dachserData = { 274 _data: {}, 275 _instances: {}, 276 get: function(key) { 277 return dachserData._data[key] || null; 278 }, 279 set: function(key, value) { 280 dachserData._data[key] = value; 281 }, 282 push: function(key, value) { 283 if (!dachserData._data[key]) { 284 dachserData._data[key] = []; 285 } 286 dachserData._data[key].push(value); 287 }, 288 setInstance: function(key, identifier, instance) { 289 if (!dachserData._instances[key]) { 290 dachserData._instances[key] = {}; 291 } 292 dachserData._instances[key][identifier] = instance; 293 }, 294 getInstance: function(key, identifier) { 295 return dachserData._instances[key] ? dachserData._instances[key][identifier] || null : null; 296 }, 297 reflow: () => {} 298 }; 299 </script>
299 300 301 302
302<script type="application/ld+json"> 303 [{"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"WebSite","name":"thebarentsobserver","url":"https://www.thebarentsobserver.com"},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"WebPage","url":"https://www.thebarentsobserver.com/about-us","name":"About us - thebarentsobserver","description":"","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"thebarentsobserver","url":"https://www.thebarentsobserver.com","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://www.thebarentsobserver.com/view-resources/dachser2/public/thebarentsobserver/logo.png"}}}] 304 </script>
304 305 306 307 308 309 310 311 312
313<script> 314var k5aMeta = { "title": "About us - thebarentsobserver", "teasertitle": "", "kicker": "", "url": "https://www.thebarentsobserver.com/about-us", "login": (Dac.clientData.paywall.isAuthenticated ? 1 : 0), "subscriber": (Dac.clientData.paywall.isAuthenticated ? 1 : 0), "subscriberId": (Dac.clientData.subscriberId ? `"${ Dac.clientData.subscriberId }"` : "") }; 315</script>
315 316
316<script> 317 (function () { 318 var sources = [ 319 '//cl.k5a.io/6156b8c81b4d741e051f44c2.js', 320 ]; 321 322 function load() { 323 for (var i = 0; i < sources.length; i++) { 324 var script = document.createElement('script'); 325 script.src = sources[i]; 326 script.async = true; 327 document.head.appendChild(script); 328 } 329 } 330 331 // Kilkaya reads k5aMeta once, when it boots. On a paid article behind a 332 // client-side paywall the reader's access is not known while the head is 333 // parsed, so partial/lab4/analytics/kilkaya_metadata publishes k5aMetaReady 334 // and we hold off until the metadata is correct. Everywhere else the values 335 // are right already and Kilkaya loads immediately. 336 if (window.k5aMetaReady) { 337 window.k5aMetaReady.then(load); 338 } else { 339 load(); 340 } 341 }()); 342 </script>
342 343 344 </head> 345 <body class="l4 front site_thebarentsobserver" 346 347 > 348 349 350 351
351<script> 352 document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", (event) => { 353 setScrollbarWidth(); 354 window.addEventListener('resize', setScrollbarWidth); 355 }); 356 function setScrollbarWidth() { 357 const root = document.querySelector(':root'); 358 const width = (window.innerWidth - document.body.offsetWidth < 21) ? window.innerWidth - document.body.offsetWidth : 15; 359 root.style.setProperty('--lab-scrollbar-width', `${ width }px`); 360 } 361 </script>
361 362 363 364 <a href="#main" class="skip-link">Jump to main content</a> 365 366 <header class="pageElement pageHeader"> 367 <div class="section"> 368 <div class="section pageHeaderTop"> 369 <div class="row"> 370<figure class="logo logo--mobile" style="--logo-height:53px"> 371 <a href="//thebarentsobserver.com" aria-label="Go to frontpage"> 372 <img src="/view-resources/dachser2/public/thebarentsobserver/logo.png" 373 alt="Go to frontpage. Logo, thebarentsobserver.com" 374 width="540" 375 height="53"> 376 </a> 377</figure> 378 379<figure class="logo logo--primary"> 380 <a href="//thebarentsobserver.com" aria-label="Go to frontpage"> 381 <img src="/view-resources/dachser2/public/thebarentsobserver/logo.png" 382 alt="Go to frontpage. Logo, thebarentsobserver.com" 383 width="540" 384 > 385 </a> 386</figure> 387 388<figure class="logo logo--secondary" style="--logo-height:53px"> 389 <a href="//thebarentsobserver.com" aria-label="Go to frontpage"> 390 <img src="/view-resources/dachser2/public/thebarentsobserver/logo.png" 391 alt="Go to frontpage. Logo, thebarentsobserver.com" 392 width="540" 393 height="53"> 394 </a> 395</figure> 396<a class="link pageHeaderSlogan" href="https://thebarentsobserver.com/support-us"><p class="text">Fight Censorship!</p> 397<p class="text">Contribute</p> 398</a> 399</div> 400 401</div> 402<div class="section pageHeaderBottom"> 403 <div class="row"> 404 <div class="hamburger to-be-expanded" data-id="pageElements-11"> 405 <div class="positionRelative"> 406 <span class="hamburger-button hamburger-expander "> 407 <button class="burger-btn" aria-label="Open menu" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="hamburger-container" aria-haspopup="menu"> 408 <i class="open fi-list"></i> 409 <i class="close fi-x"></i> 410 </button> 411 </span> 412 </div> 413 414 <div class="hamburger-container" id="hamburger-container"> 415 <div class="row"> 416<nav class="navigation dropdownMenu"> 417 <ul class="menu-list"> 418 <li class="first-list-item has-children dac-hidden-desktop-up"> 419 <span tabindex="0"></span> 420 <ul class="children"> 421 <li class="dac-hidden-desktop-up"> 422 <a href="/tag/video" target="_self">Video</a> 423 </li> 424 <li class="dac-hidden-desktop-up"> 425 <a href="/tag/podcast" target="_self">Podcast</a> 426 </li> 427 <li class=""> 428 <a href="/opinion" target="_self">Opinion</a> 429 </li> 430 </ul> 431 </li> 432 <li class="first-list-item has-children"> 433 <span tabindex="0"></span> 434 <ul class="children"> 435 <li class=""> 436 <a href="/tag/security" target="_self">Security</a> 437 </li> 438 <li class=""> 439 <a href="/tag/democracy%20and%20media" target="_self">Democracy and media</a> 440 </li> 441 <li class=""> 442 <a href="/tag/climate%20crisis" target="_self">Climate crisis</a> 443 </li> 444 <li class=""> 445 <a href="/tag/travel" target="_self">Travel</a> 446 </li> 447 </ul> 448 </li> 449 <li class="first-list-item has-children"> 450 <span tabindex="0"></span> 451 <ul class="children"> 452 <li class=""> 453 <a href="/about-us" target="_self">About us</a> 454 </li> 455 <li class=""> 456 <a href="/advertise" target="_self">Advertise with us</a> 457 </li> 458 <li class=""> 459 <a href="/newsletter" target="_self">Newsletter</a> 460 </li> 461 </ul> 462 </li> 463 <li class="first-list-item social-icons has-children"> 464 <span tabindex="0"></span> 465 <ul class="children"> 466 <li class=""> 467 <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/thebarentsobserver.com" target="_self">Bluesky</a> 468 </li> 469 <li class=""> 470 <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BarentsObserver" target="_self">Facebook</a> 471 </li> 472 <li class=""> 473 <a href="https://www.instagram.com/barentsobserver/" target="_self">Instagram</a> 474 </li> 475 <li class=""> 476 <a href="https://t.me/BarentsObserver" target="_self">Telegram</a> 477 </li> 478 <li class=""> 479 <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-barents-observer/" target="_self">LinkedIn</a> 480 </li> 481 <li class=""> 482 <a href="https://x.com/BarentsNews" target="_self">X</a> 483 </li> 484 </ul> 485 </li> 486 </ul> 487</nav> 488 489 490 491
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799 800</header> 801 802 803 804 805 806 <section class="main front" id="main"> 807 <h1 class="hidden-heading">About us - thebarentsobserver</h1> 808 809 <div data-element-guid="11484190-d3af-4c49-aa8c-62513ffffbdc" class="page-content"><div data-element-guid="2a1745f2-ce79-4e8e-85c6-9de30e175b1c" class="row small-12 large-12" style=""> 810 <div data-element-guid="a36376d6-c387-4eb2-8fa2-c007d6fb7968" class="column text_singleline small-12 large-12 small-abs-12 large-abs-12"> 811 812 <h2 813 class="content singleline t44" 814 style=""> 815 <span data-lab-text_size_desktop="24" class="t24">The Barents Observer</span> 816 </h2 > 817</div></div> 818<div data-element-guid="32df7305-58be-4c51-86a7-46c866252bb0" class="row small-12 large-12" style=""> 819 <div data-element-guid="79f988ff-0311-433a-8dab-cb3cb3c8b935" class="column text_singleline small-12 large-12 small-abs-12 large-abs-12"> 820 821 <h3 822 class="content singleline t24" 823 style=""> 824 Championing freedom of speech and support for democracy 825 </h3 > 826</div></div> 827<div data-element-guid="d12f6203-f670-4217-b1e7-19a6e0856b3b" class="row small-12 large-12" style=""> 828 <div data-element-guid="04f00bf6-4ee0-439a-aed6-cd966759d612" class="column text_multiline small-12 large-12 small-abs-12 large-abs-12"> 829 830 <div class="content multiline bodytext" 831 style=""> 832 <p>The Barents Observer is a journalist-owned online newspaper covering the Euro-Arctic region and northern Russia.</p><p>Focused on delivering cross-border journalism, the Barents Observer provides daily news reports from Scandinavia, Russia and the Arctic.</p><p>Our dedicated and experienced team of reporters, from Norway and in exile from Russia, produce news and multi-media content targeting global audiences interested in Arctic issues. We follow the key trends and developments in topics like climate change, energy and industry, shipping, civil society, borders, politics, ecology, security and indigenous peoples issues.</p><p>The Barents Observer delivers journalism that follows the principles of the Norwegian Rights and Duties of the Editor.</p><p>Our core values are freedom of speech and support for democracy. By providing impartial information and opinions across borders in the Euro-Arctic region, we aim to be a counterbalance to authoritarianism and propaganda. Our reporting serves local societies, supports regional development and promotes international cooperation.</p><p>The Independent Barents Observer is a non-profit stock company fully owned by its reporting staff. No regional or national authority has owner interests in the company, nor exerts any influence on news gathering operations or editorials. The newsdesk is located in Kirkenes, a Norwegian Arctic town situated a few kilometres from the borders of Russia and Finland.</p><p>The Barents Observer publishes in English and <a href="https://thebarentsobserver.com/ru">Russian</a>.</p><figure data-element-guid="2574fbc8-b16c-44a7-bcae-2d164c1a4e2b" class="column small-12 large-12 small-abs-12 large-abs-12"> 833 834 <div class="content " style=""> 835 836 <div class="img fullwidthTarget"> 837 <picture> 838 <source srcset="https://image.thebarentsobserver.com/163005.webp?imageId=163005&x=0.00&y=0.00&cropw=99.58&croph=100.00&width=2116&height=1418&format=webp" 839 width="1058" 840 height="709" 841 media="(min-width: 768px)" 842 type="image/webp"> 843 <source srcset="https://image.thebarentsobserver.com/163005.webp?imageId=163005&x=0.00&y=0.00&cropw=99.58&croph=100.00&width=2116&height=1418&format=jpg" 844 width="1058" 845 height="709" 846 media="(min-width: 768px)" 847 type="image/jpeg"> 848 <source srcset="https://image.thebarentsobserver.com/163005.webp?imageId=163005&x=0.00&y=0.00&cropw=99.58&croph=100.00&width=960&height=644&format=webp" 849 width="480" 850 height="322" 851 media="(max-width: 767px)" 852 type="image/webp"> 853 <source srcset="https://image.thebarentsobserver.com/163005.webp?imageId=163005&x=0.00&y=0.00&cropw=99.58&croph=100.00&width=960&height=644&format=jpg" 854 width="480" 855 height="322" 856 media="(max-width: 767px)" 857 type="image/jpeg"> 858 <img src="https://image.thebarentsobserver.com/163005.webp?imageId=163005&x=0.00&y=0.00&cropw=99.58&croph=100.00&width=960&height=644&format=jpg" 859 width="480" 860 height="322" 861 alt="" 862 fetchpriority="high" 863 style="" 864 > 865 </picture> 866 </div> 867 <div class="caption " data-showmore="Show more">
868 <figcaption itemprop="caption" class="italic m-italic">Kirkenes is a small border-town between Finland to the west, Russia to the east and the Barents Sea to the north.</figcaption> 869 <figcaption itemprop="author" class="" data-byline-prefix="">Photo: Thomas Nilsen</figcaption> 870 </div> </div> 871</figure> 872<p>The Barents Observer is funded by donations from individuals, private companies, foundations and others. Crowdfunding helps us run the newsroom in difficult times of Russian state censorship and repression against free media. Despite the efforts of the Kremlinâs censorship authorities, the Roskomnadzor, to block the Barents Observer from the Russian internet, we successfully manage to break through. We are grateful for the support of the Fritt Ord Foundation for journalist projects and for business start-up grants from both Innovation Norway and Sør-Varanger municipality.</p><p>In 2022/23 we invited exiled Russian journalists to work with us. Through this, the Barents Observer has created a free and safe environment on the Norwegian side of the border for Russian speaking journalists that have fled their country in fear of prosecution for doing their job. Our passion to support the freedom of Russian journalism is made possible by donations from private individuals as well as grants from the Fritt Ord Foundation and Tinius Trust. In collaboration with UiT The Arctic University of Norway, we run a project aimed at strengthening free and independent voices among Russian speaking journalists in exile, including knowledge building and and free press. This project is co-funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.</p><p>Each one of us can contribute with a small or larger <a href="https://www.thebarentsobserver.com/support-us">donation</a>. Together we will make a difference!</p><p>In the circumpolar north, we have teamed up with the two media networks, <a href="http://www.rcinet.ca/eye-on-the-arctic/">Eye on the Arctic</a> and <a href="https://www.arctictoday.com/">Arctic Today</a>. Both are republishing our articles. We also cooperate with other Russian media in exile, such as <a href="https://semnasem.org/" target="_blank">7x7 Journal</a> and <a href="https://novayagazeta.eu/en" target="_blank">Novaya Gazeta Europa</a>.</p><p>The Barents Observer takes the pulse on regional mass media. Our reporters take part in seminars, courses and events focusing on freedom of speech and countering propaganda and Kremlin-initiated influence operations.</p><p>The Barents Observer was founded by Atle Staalesen in 2002 as a private initiative based on the need for an increased flow of cross-border knowledge in the Barents Region. From initiation the news site has been bi-lingual in English and Russian. In the peri
872od 2005 to 2015, the editorial desk of the Barents Observer shared an office with the Norwegian Barents secretariat and the reporting staff were its employees. The secretariat was owned by the northernmost counties and in 2015 the board of the secretariat decided to remove the editorial freedom of the newspaper. They argued we shouldnât write on topics too critical to Russia. Simultaneously as the secretariat attempted to limit editorial freedoms, Russiaâs secret service, the FSB, asked Norwegian officials to shut down the Barents Observer.</p><p>Naturally, it was unacceptable for the Barents Observer not to follow basic principles of free journalism and the reporters moved out, added âIndependentâ to the name and re-launched the publication as a journalist-owned product. Unfortunately, but also tellingly, the secretariat retained the domain name âbarentsobserver.comâ and the article-archive for the period 2008-2015 for ten years before handing it over in spring of 2025.</p><p>The Barents Observer team today consists of:</p><ul><li><p>Atle Staalesen, founder and journalist</p></li><li><p>Thomas Nilsen, editor and journalist</p></li><li><p>Farida Kurbangaleeva, news-editor Russian edition and journalist</p></li><li><p>Denis Zagore, journalist and multi-media content</p></li><li><p>Georgii Chentemirov, journalist</p></li><li><p>Olesia Krivtsova, journalist</p></li><li><p>Laura A. Janda, opinion editor</p></li></ul><figure data-element-guid="c8b07c6f-f0e7-45bd-a482-39366c8c436a" class="column small-12 large-12 small-abs-12 large-abs-12"> 873 874 <div class="content " style=""> 875 876 <div class="img fullwidthTarget"> 877 <picture> 878 <source srcset="https://image.thebarentsobserver.com/448378.webp?imageId=448378&width=2116&height=1694&format=webp" 879 width="1058" 880 height="847" 881 media="(min-width: 768px)" 882 type="image/webp"> 883 <source srcset="https://image.thebarentsobserver.com/448378.webp?imageId=448378&width=2116&height=1694&format=jpg" 884 width="1058" 885 height="847" 886 media="(min-width: 768px)" 887 type="image/jpeg"> 888 <source srcset="https://image.thebarentsobserver.com/448378.webp?imageId=448378&width=960&height=768&format=webp" 889 width="480" 890 height="384" 891 media="(max-width: 767px)" 892 type="image/webp"> 893 <source srcset="https://image.thebarentsobserver.com/448378.webp?imageId=448378&width=960&height=768&format=jpg" 894 width="480" 895 height="384" 896 media="(max-width: 767px)" 897 type="image/jpeg"> 898 <img src="https://image.thebarentsobserver.com/448378.webp?imageId=448378&width=960&height=768&format=jpg" 899 width="480" 900 height="384" 901 alt="" 902 fetchpriority="high" 903 style="" 904 > 905 </picture> 906 </div> 907 <div class="caption " data-showmore="Show more"> 908 <figcaption itemprop="caption" class="italic m-italic">The Barents Observer team consists of (from the left): Atle Staalesen, Olesia Krivtsova, Georgii Chentemirov, Farida Kurbangaleeva, Thomas Nilsen, Susanna Sjöstedt and Denis Zagore.</figcaption> 909 <figcaption itemprop="author" class="" data-byline-prefix=""></figcaption> 910 </div> </div> 911</figure> 912<p class="font-weight-bold m-font-weight-bold" data-lab-font_weight="font-weight-bold">Barents Observer timeline:</p><p>* 2002 - Founded as a private, independent news online by Atle Staalesen.</p><p>* 2005 - 2015 - Published in cooperation with the Norwegian Barents Secretariat.</p><p>* 2014 - The FSB called on Norwegian officials to <a href="https://www.nrk.no/norge/kilde-til-nrk_-_-russisk-etterretning-ba-norge-om-a-bringe-barentsobserver-til-taushet-1.12583998">shut down the Barents Observer</a>.</p><p>* 2015 - County mayors of northern Norway removed the Barents Observer's editorial freedom, claiming the newsp
912aper was <a href="https://www.vl.no/kommentar/en-uvirkelig-historie-om-norsk-pressefrihet/841519" target="_blank">too critical</a> to developments in Russia.</p><p>* 2015 - Re-started and organised as a non-profit, journalist owned, independent newspaper. The Barents secretariat <a href="https://www.m24.no/barentsobserver-nyheter/barents-observer-ud-matte-nok-en-gang-sette-de-nordnorske-fylkene-pa-plass/122851" target="_blank">threatened to sue</a> the Barents Observer and kept the domain name and older archive hostage for almost 10 years (until June 2025).</p><p>* 2017 - Editor Thomas Nilsen <a href="https://www.thebarentsobserver.com/democracy-and-media/barents-observer-editor-thomas-nilsen-is-declared-unwanted-in-russia-by-fsb/123681">declared persona non grata</a> in Russia by FSB for "posing a threat to the country's national security."</p><p>* 2019 - Russia's censorship agency, Roskomnadzor, <a href="https://www.thebarentsobserver.com/news/the-barents-observer-is-now-blocked-in-russia/131842">blocked the Barents Observer</a> on internet.</p><p>* 2022 - Russia's General Prosecutor requests the <a href="https://www.thebarentsobserver.com/democracy-and-media/the-barents-observer-is-requested-closed-by-russias-general-prosecutor/128574">Barents Observer closed</a>.</p><p>* 2022 - Barents Observer expands newsroom with a hub for Russian language journalists in exile.</p><p>* 2023 - Journalist Georgii Chentemirov <a href="https://www.thebarentsobserver.com/democracy-and-media/barents-observer-journalist-georgii-chentemirov-declared-foreign-agent/145094">declared "foreign agent"</a>.</p><p>* 2025 - Barents Observer <a href="https://www.thebarentsobserver.com/news/the-barents-observer-beats-russia-in-european-court/424240">beats Russia</a> in European court (ECtHR), censorship blockage is illegal.</p><p>* 2025 - Russia's General Prosecutor declares the <a href="https://www.thebarentsobserver.com/news/moscow-declares-the-barents-observer-an-undesirable-organisation/424417">Barents Observer an "undesirable organisation"</a>. We challenge the decision in court. After three court hearings in July and August, the judge <a href="https://www.thebarentsobserver.com/democracy-and-media/despite-loss-in-court-barents-observer-sees-case-against-russian-general-prosecutor-as-victory/434236">ruled in favor</a> of the General Prosecutor. We appeal. </p><p>* 2025 - Journalist Olesia Krivtsova <a href="https://www.thebarentsobserver.com/democracy-and-media/putins-justice-ministry-declares-barents-observer-journalist-olesia-krivtsova-a-foreign-agent/435968">declared "foreign agent"</a>.</p><p>* 2025 - Journalist Denis Zagore <a href="https://www.thebarentsobserver.com/democracy-and-media/with-denis-listed-on-friday-half-of-barents-observers-journalists-are-now-foreign-agents/438511">declared "foreign agent"</a>.</p><p>* 2026 - Journalist Olesia Krivtsova <a href="https://www.thebarentsobserver.com/news/journalist-olesia-krivtsova-sentenced-in-absentia-to-six-years-in-prison/453263">sentenced in absentia to six years in prison</a> by a military court in Severomorsk.</p><p>* 2026 - Russia issues <a href="https://www.thebarentsobserver.com/democracy-and-media/wanted-russia-issues-arrest-warrant-against-barents-observer-journalist-denis-zagore/458571">arrest warrant against</a> journalist Denis Zagore. </p> 913 </div> 914</div></div> 915</div> 916 917 918 919 </section> 920 921 922<footer class="page"> 923 <div data-element-guid="c6774310-bbcb-488e-8b42-4a5862b1f4b5" class="row-section desktop-space-outsideBottom-none mobile-space-outsideBottom-none bg-black color_mobile_bg-black hasContentPadding mobile-hasContentPadding" style=""> 924<div class="row small-12 large-12 desktop-space-outsideBottom-none mobile-space-outsideBottom-none bg-black color_mobile_bg-black hasContentPadding mobile-hasContentPadding" style=""> 925 <div data-element-guid="3febfacc-6d3f-4ff4-9f1c-da4dbb0ddff9" class="column text_singleline small-12 large-4 small-abs-12 large-abs-4"> 926 <style></style> 927 <h3 928 class="content singleline t14 font-weight-bold m-font-we
928ight-bold" 929 style=""> 930 ABOUT 931 </h3 > 932</div><div data-element-guid="b98ab302-752d-436c-a096-620ca900de96" class="column text_singleline small-12 large-4 small-abs-12 large-abs-4"> 933 <style></style> 934 <h3 935 class="content singleline t14 font-weight-bold m-font-weight-bold" 936 style=""> 937 CONTACTS 938 </h3 > 939</div><div data-element-guid="19e0466a-40f1-465a-a6f3-b68d6b8af103" class="column text_singleline small-12 large-4 small-abs-12 large-abs-4"> 940 <style></style> 941 <h3 942 class="content singleline t14 font-weight-bold m-font-weight-bold" 943 style=""> 944 SUBSCRIBE FREE NEWSLETTER 945 </h3 > 946</div></div> 947</div> 948<div data-element-guid="fa10657a-f503-4ad1-8edd-4bb45cd8c6b3" class="row-section bg-black color_mobile_bg-black hasContentPadding mobile-hasContentPadding" style=""> 949<div class="row small-12 large-12 bg-black color_mobile_bg-black hasContentPadding mobile-hasContentPadding" style=""> 950 <div data-element-guid="79490945-d7da-440f-a509-7a3d3d122c67" class="columns small-12 large-4 small-abs-12 large-abs-4"><div data-element-guid="9a3860db-a37c-4b89-bede-af370807e9d7" class="row small-12 large-12" style=""> 951 <div data-element-guid="eb54bb7f-d3f5-44fc-b282-47ad69178ded" class="column text_multiline small-12 large-12 small-abs-12 large-abs-4"> 952 <style></style> 953 <div class="content multiline bodytext" 954 style=""> 955 <p>© 2002 - 2026</p><p>Published by: The Independent Barents Observer AS </p><p><a href="https://www.thebarentsobserver.com/about-us">About us</a></p><p>The Barents Observer follows the <a href="http://presse.no/pfu/etiske-regler/vaer-varsom-plakaten/vvpl-engelsk/"><span class="white color_mobile_white" data-lab-text_color="white">Code of Ethics of the Norwegian Press</span></a> and the document <a href="https://www.redaktor.no/ressurser/etiske-og-juridiske-rammeverk/redaktorplakaten" target="_blank">Right and Duties of the Editor</a>. We report under full editorial independence and have no external interference. </p><p>Freedom to write - freedom to publish.</p><p class="secondary color_mobile_secondary"><span class="white color_mobile_white" data-lab-text_color="white"><a href="https://thebarentsobserver.com/support-us"><span class="white color_mobile_white" data-lab-text_color="white">Donate</span></a> to our independent journalism. Thatâs how we get better. </span></p><p>Støtt oss via Vipps: 105 792 - Det betyr mye!</p> 956 </div> 957</div><div data-element-guid="2a2242e2-47c8-4a40-b591-78fdcab7e219" id="markup_419385" class="markupbox column small-12 large-12 small-abs-12 large-abs-4"> 958 <style></style> 959 <div class="content fullwidthTarget" style=""> 960 961 962 963 964 965 <a href="https://www.redaktor.no/ressurser/etiske-og-juridiske-rammeverk/redaktorplakaten"><img src="https://www.thebarentsobserver.com/files/2024/10/22/NR%20logo%20hvit.png" width="50px" /></a> 966 967 968 969 </div> 970</div> 971</div> 972</div><div data-element-guid="943526b3-267b-43a5-a415-e65371d5d01d" class="column text_multiline small-12 large-4 small-abs-12 large-abs-4"> 973 <style></style> 974 <div class="content multiline bodytext" 975 style=""> 976 <p><a href="mailto:[email protected]"><span class="white color_mobile_white" data-lab-text_color="white">[email protected]</span></a></p><p><span data-lab-font_weight="font-weight-bold" class="font-weight-bold m-font-weight-bold">Publisher</span> Atle Staalesen</p><p><a href="mailto:[email protected]"><span class="white color_mobile_white" data-lab-text_color="white">[email protected]</span></a></p><p><span data-lab-font_weight="font-weight-bold" class="font-weight-bold m-font-weight-bold">Editor</span> Thomas Nilsen</p><p><a href="mailto:[email protected]"><span class="white color_mobile_white" data-lab-text_color="white">[email protected]</span></a><br>â +47-905 73 143</p><p>News editor Farida Kurbangaleeva </p><p>[email protected]</p><p>Opinion editor Laura A. Janda</p><p>[email protected] </p><p>Journalist Denis Zagore</p><p><a href="mailto:[email protected]"><span class="white color_mobile_white" data-lab-text_color="white">[email protected]</span></a></p><p>Journalist Georgii Chentemirov</p><p><a href="mailto:[email protected]"><span class="white color_mobile_white" data-lab-text_color="white">[email protected]</span></a></p><p>Journalist Olesia Krivtsova</p><p><a href="mailto:[email protected]"><span class="white color_mobile_white" data-lab-text_color="white">[email protected]</span></a></p><p>Visiting address:</p><p>Storgata 5, Kirkenes, Norway</p> 977 </div> 978</div><div data-element-guid="299bc934-d3cc-442c-977e-65759832de85" class="columns small-12 large-4 small-abs-12 large-abs-4"><div data-element-guid="e305e8dd-44e3-480e-a079-6c805d090a83" class="row
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