Havana Syndrome: Investigation points to Russian intelligence unit as source

• Diplomatic personnel worldwide may have been targeted by Russian sonic weaponry.
• Moscow denies the accusations, and US officials previously doubted a foreign power was responsible.
• Over 1,000 reports of the syndrome have been filed, with dozens still considered unexplained.

A joint investigation by The Insider, Der Spiegel, and CBS's 60 Minutes has linked a Russian intelligence unit to the mysterious illness affecting US diplomats in recent years, known as "Havana Syndrome." Diplomatic personnel stationed worldwide with symptoms such as dizziness may have been targeted by Russian sonic weaponry.

Moscow has denied the accusations, and US officials had previously expressed doubt that a foreign power was responsible. However, in their assessment of "anomalous health incidents" delivered last year, they did not offer any alternative explanation, leaving those affected frustrated.

Additionally, they acknowledged varying levels of confidence in the assessment among the intelligence agencies involved.

The phenomenon derives its name from Cuba's capital Havana, where the first case was detected in 2016. However, the new report suggests that the first cases may have occurred in Germany two years earlier.

American personnel affected by the condition, including the White House, CIA, and FBI staff, have reported symptoms such as dizziness, headaches, difficulty concentrating, and an intense and painful sound in their ears. More than 1,000 reports of the mysterious ailment have been filed, with dozens of cases still officially considered unexplained.

US lawmakers have enacted legislation intended to support victims, making individuals with confirmed brain injuries from the disease eligible for payments.

There has long been suspicion that those affected have been targeted by directed energy or microwaves fired from hidden devices, a possibility acknowledged in an earlier US intelligence report.

The recent media investigation alleges that operatives from a Russian military intelligence unit, known as 29155, may have targeted the brains of US diplomats with "directed energy" weapons.

The investigation reveals evidence of placing members of the unit in cities around the world at times when US personnel reported incidents.

The Insider, a Russia-focused site, also reported that officers in the 29155 unit had been rewarded for their work related to developing "non-lethal acoustic weapons." A military investigator from the US, examining instances of the syndrome, told 60 Minutes that a "Russia nexus" was the common link between victims of the syndrome.

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