A still mysterious condition that manifests among US diplomats and personnel stationed abroad, the so-called Havana syndrome, could have a Russian intelligence service unit as one of its origins, as claimed by a joint investigation conducted by several journalists, according to a recent investigative report. The last complication of the story is another part of the whole mystery about the strange disease.
According to the investigation that was conducted by The Insider, Der Spiegel, and CBS’s 60 Minutes, there is an alleged connection between Havana syndrome and directed energy weapons that are in use with Unit 29155, which is a part of Russia’s GRU (Main Intelligence Directorate). This spetsnaz unit is the most known for its secret operations abroad and it was accused of the poisoning of Sergei Skripal, a former Russian spy, in UK in 2018.
The report explains that Havana syndrome first surfaced in 2016 when employees at the United States Embassy in Havana, Cuba, began to experience unusual symptoms. Among the experiences were headaches, problems with orientation, hearing of buzzing at night and cognitive impairment as well. The first reports of these bizarre symptoms led to the idea that they were symptoms of some foreign attack, possibly using a sonic weapon.
During this period, cases of Havana Syndrome were reported by American personnel stationed in different parts of the world, such as China, Europe, and Capitol Hill, which aroused doubts with the initial theory that the attack could have been a more focused one only on Cuba.
According to new findings, the Russian combat group, which includes Unit 29155, might be using directed energy systems aimed at American forces. Directed energy weapons are hypothetical weapons that focus an electromagnetic beam (e.g., microwaves and radio waves) at a target. Despite the fact that the technology is in an embryonic state, there are some debates about whether it could be misused against critical components of electronics or even harm someone physically.
It leads to many issues. First, why would the results be like that? If the reports are true, what is the motive for the alleged attacks? Is it an effort to gain intelligence, hinder US operations, or just to unsettle the personnel? Moreover, the long-term health effects of Havana syndrome have yet to be determined, which leads to great anxiety in those affected.
The U.S. government admitted that it takes the condition very seriously and is pledged to continue the investigations into the root cause as well as find the best medical treatments for the victims. While the uncertainty over the cause and perpetrator is the main source of confusion and exasperation, many people are looking for answers.
As this Havana syndrome report traces it to a direct Russian intelligence unit, this new development gives a freshly explosive turn to the story. Only time will tell whether the allegations prove to be true or not, but it is clear that a full-scale investigation must be carried out in order to establish the cause of this dreadful disease and to punish those who are complicit in it.
