The mysterious ‘Havana syndrome’, a vague condition that several American diplomats and officials abroad suffered from, may have been the result of actions by a Russian military intelligence service. This is what the Latvia-based research platform writes TheInsider after joint investigation with the American news program 60 Minutes from CBS and the German magazine Der Spiegel.
A Russian unit known as ‘Unit 29155’ is said to have been on the ground where American personnel reported complaints such as headaches, nausea and dizziness. This was the case in the Cuban capital Havana, where the syndrome got its name, but also in Hanoi in Vietnam and Tbilisi in Georgia.
The investigation mentions the use of “non-lethal acoustic weapons”. TheInsider also reports an incident that took place in Frankfurt, before the phenomenon emerged in Cuba in 2016. Then an employee at the American consulate was knocked unconscious, “by what appeared to be a strong energy beam.”
“No proof”
Just over a year ago, the US reported after years of research that it was highly unlikely that a foreign adversary would be behind the syndrome. Even then, the theory was already circulating that Russia could be responsible, but there was no evidence for this at the time.
A senior American soldier who conducted the army research into the Havana syndrome stated 60 Minutes that he believes Americans were the target of these attacks. But the bar to prove this was set very high, making it impossible. Greg Edgreen, now a retired lieutenant colonel, says this was done deliberately because the US did not want to face some elements, such as possible mistakes in protecting Americans.
The Kremlin now denies that it has anything to do with the syndrome. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said no evidence has been provided to support such a claim and that the media allegations are unfounded.
Tags: Research links mysterious Havana syndrome Russian secret service
