Havana syndrome is a mysterious illness that has been in the news in recent days. However, not many know what exactly this syndrome is. Diplomats from the United States have been suffering the symptoms of this syndrome, such as the ones associated with head trauma. These symptoms may possibly be associated with "sonic attacks" by the intelligence unit of Russia, as suggested by a novel media investigation.
The U.S. embassy officials were the ones who first reported the Havana syndrome in Havana in the year 2016. It was at this time that these people started experiencing intense hearing-piercing sounds and headaches during the night. Since then, more than 1,000 cases have been reported that have been affecting the employees of the U.S. government across the globe. U.S. officials and medical experts alike have been perplexed since then because of the wide array of symptoms associated with this syndrome. The symptoms include bloody noses, nausea, memory loss, and more.
Several media outlets conducted a joint investigation and released the findings on March 31 throwing some light on the matter. The findings of the investigation suggested that members of an extremely secretive military group, Unit 29155 of Russia, that worked under the direct control of the President of Russia Vladimir Putin, had been stationed at the area of reported health incidents among the U.S. personnel. The results of the investigation also suggested that the senior members of the unit also got promotions, acknowledgments, and even awards for the work they did to develop "non-lethal acoustic weapons."
The Russian government, however, dismissed the report on April 1. Dmitry Peskov, a spokesperson from the Russian government, dismissed the accusations by saying in a news press conference that nobody has been successful in bringing up any convincing evidence in the matter against the Russian government. The spokesperson further said that these accusations are actually nothing but groundless accusations.
Understanding the Havana syndrome better
The exact cause behind the Havana syndrome is actually not known till now. However, the investigation conducted by the media houses suggested that the Havana syndrome may be associated with Russia's probable sonic weaponry.
Last year, an intelligence investigation by the United States was released. The investigation suggested that it was actually "very unlikely" that a foreign adversary would be responsible for the sickness. However, it was also acknowledged by the officials at the moment that the direct energy or microwaves emitted from hidden devices could also be the reasons behind the sickness.
There are many symptoms that are difficult to explain. These include vertigo, fatigue, dizziness, memory lapses, migraines, cognitive impairment, anxiety, and more. Some cases like that of an FBI agent also reported instances of feeling like a dentist drilling into her ear, with the sound amplified. The syndrome led many affected to take the help of long-term medical care to recover.
The very first cases
It was in the year 2016 in Cube when the very first known cases of the Havana syndrome were reported for the very first time. At this time CIA officers who were stationed at the Embassy of the United States in Havana reported symptoms of nausea, intense fatigue, and head heaviness. Then, it was the brain scans that brought the illness to light.
The stand of the United States
The United States chooses to continue its investigation into the matter. In the year 2023, five intelligence agencies suggested that it is actually "very unlikely" for a foreign adversary like Russia to be behind such a sickness. However, such comments do not wash away the concerns that are still lingering in the intelligence community.
At present, no exact cause of the Havana syndrome has been identified by the government of the United States.
Comments
All Comments (0)
Join the conversation