A mysterious illness known as “Havana syndrome” that has caused U.S. diplomats to suffer from symptoms consistent with head trauma may be linked to possible Russian sonic Weapons by a Russian intelligence unit, according to a new media investigation.
Key Points On Russian sonic weapons
- A joint investigation by media outlets The Insider, 60 Minutes and der Spiegel released on March 31 found that U.S. officials were being targeted by Russian sonic weaponry.
- The investigation found that members of Russia’s Unit 29155, a highly secretive military group under the direct control of President Vladimir Putin, had been placed at the scene of reported health incidents involving U.S. personnel, and that senior members of the unit received awards and promotions for work related to the development of “non-lethal acoustic weapons.”
- On April 1, The Kremlin dismissed the report. “This topic has been talked up in the press for many years already. And from the very beginning most often it’s linked to the Russian side,” the Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said in a news conference.
- “But nobody has ever published any convincing evidence, so all this is nothing more than a groundless and unfounded accusation.”
History Of Havana Syndrome
What Is Havana Syndrome?
- Havana Syndrome refers to a set of mental health symptoms that are said to be experienced by United States intelligence and embassy officials in various countries.
- It is worth noting that in general, the word ‘syndrome’ simply means a set of symptoms.
- It does not mean a unique medical condition, but rather a set of symptoms that are usually experienced together whose origins may be difficult to confirm.
- It typically involves symptoms such as hearing certain sounds without any outside noise, nausea, vertigo and headaches, memory loss and balance issues.
- As the name suggests, it traces its roots to Cuba in late 2016.This was about a year after the US opened its embassy in the capital city of Havana after ties between the two countries were normalised in 2015.
- Some US intelligence officials and members of the staff at the embassy began experiencing sudden bursts of pressure in their brains followed by persistent headaches, feelings of disorientation and insomnia
How The US Has Responded To Havana Syndrome?
- The US has come to believe there is a “very strong possibility” the syndrome is intentionally caused.
- Over the years, the FBI, CIA, US military, National Institutes of Health, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have investigated the incidents without coming out with anything conclusive.
- Some scientists even peddled theories like “psychological illness” due to the stressful environment of foreign missions.
- However, in December 2020, a report by the National Academies of Sciences (NAS) found microwave radiations as a “plausible” cause of the Havana Syndrome.
Microwave Weapons: A Possible Cause of Havana Syndrome
- These are supposed to be a type of direct energy weapons, which aim highly focused energy in the form of sonic, laser, or microwaves, at a target
- Similar to the functioning of kitchen appliances, Microwave weapons release electromagnetic radiations which cause sensations in the human body
- Major countries across the world are believed to possess these microwave weapons. Including China and the US themselves
- These weapons are a cause of concern as they can affect both machines and human beings
- These weapons can cause long-term damages without leaving a single mark on the human body
Havana Syndrome Situation in India
- In India, first such case was reported in the year 2021, when a US intelligence officer travelling to New Delhi with CIA director William Burns reported symptoms of Havana Syndrome.
- Sources in the Indian security establishment said in 2021 that they were not aware of any weapon with such capacities being in the possession of an Indian agency.
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