New reports from US diplomats and spies describe symptoms similar to Havana Syndrome. Source: Fry1989, Wikimedia Commons.
A new report has linked Russia to a mysterious neurological symptom, known as “Havana syndrome”, which has plagued US spies and diplomats for over a decade.
The Insider, Der Spiegel, and CBS’s 60 Minutes released the joint investigation on 31 March, suggesting US officials were being targeted by Russian sonic attacks.
The report contradicts the US intelligence’s previous investigation, a year ago, that found it was “very unlikely a foreign adversary is responsible” for Havana Syndrome experienced by American personnel.
“It’s not conclusive, but it’s certainly compelling that the Russians are involved in it,” former intelligence officer Marc Polymeropoulos told USA Today.
White House spokesperson Sabrina Singh made the announcement to reporters on Monday.
“I can confirm that a senior DOD [Department of Defense] official experienced symptoms similar to those reported in anomalous health incidents,” Singh said.
The investigation found that senior members of Russia’s Unit 29155 received awards and promotions for work linked to the development of “non-lethal acoustic weapons.”
Russia quickly dismissed the report on 1 April.
“This is not a new topic at all; for many years the topic of the so-called Havana syndrome has been exaggerated in the press, and from the very beginning it was linked to accusations against the Russian side,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
“But no one has ever published or expressed any convincing evidence of these unfounded accusations anywhere. Therefore, all this is nothing more than baseless, unfounded accusations by the media.”
Havana syndrome was first reported in 2016, where diplomats in Cuba reported experiencing headaches, memory loss, dizziness and buzzing, piercing sounds.
“Havana syndrome shows all the markings of a Russian hybrid warfare operation,” the report says.
“If it is established that the Kremlin really is behind the attacks … such a sustained, decade-long campaign would easily count as one of Vladimir Putin’s greatest strategic victories against the US.”
In 2021, Congress passed the Havana Act, authorising the government, CIA and other departments to provide payments to employees affected by Havana Syndrome.
The White House and FBI released a statement promising to continue a comprehensive investigation.
