A journalistic investigation links the so-called Havana syndrome, which has affected the US diplomatic corps for years, with the alleged use of Russian acoustic weapons, which would have caused officials fatigue, memory loss, dizziness, headaches and ear. Russia, through its spokesperson, has denied any link
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“In the middle of the night, in a five-star hotel in Moscow in early December 2017, I woke up with a start.” Marc Polymeropoulos, former head of CIA operations between 1993 and 2019, did not understand what was happening to him. Hardened in wars and special operations, shot at on multiple occasions and living in constant danger on every continent, Pelymeropulos said he felt panic for the first time.
As told to The Insideran investigative media group focused on Russia and based in Riga, Latvia, “the room was spinning, the vertigo did not stop and I suffered from a terrible ringing in my ears. I couldn't get up without falling to the ground.. I felt like I was going to vomit and pass out at the same time. It was scary and I was very distraught,” he said.
According to a joint publication by The Insider, Der Spiegel and 60 Minutes of the American channel CBS, it is the yesHavana syndrome. This syndrome would be caused by a “non-lethal sonic weapon” and the effects would come in the form of fatigue, memory loss, dizziness, headache and earache.
According to the study, the illness could be linked to a Russian intelligence unit and caused by Russian weapons. The target would have been the US diplomatic corps in Cuba for years: In 2016, up to 21 public officials from the United States embassy in Havana they suffered it.
Polymeropoulos' testimony continues: “At first – the Russian authorities – had opposed the trip, accusing my colleague and me of going to Moscow for 'operational reasons.' We ignored it, as it was a ridiculous accusation, and I had left for the trip in a great state of mind. I didn't come back like that,” he says. 18 months later, after multiple visits to specialists and zero answers about his health, Polymeropoulos retired from the CIA.
The Kremlin denies any link
Investigations by the media involved claim that members of the Russian military intelligence service (GRU) could have been directly involved in the attacks. But the Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov has come forward denying the accusations.
“It is not a new issue at all; for many years the issue of the so-called Havana syndrome has been exaggerated in the press, and from the beginning it was linked to accusations against the Russian side,” Peskov told reporters, when asked for the report.
“But no one has published or expressed anywhere convincing evidence of these unfounded accusations“Peskov said. “Therefore, all of this is nothing more than unfounded and baseless accusations by the media.”
For its part, a US intelligence investigationwhose findings were published last year, found it was “very unlikely” that a foreign adversary was responsible for the ailment.
According to CBS, “more than 100 Americans have symptoms which, according to scientists, could be caused by a microwave beam or acoustic ultrasound.” And while the United States ignores it, the outlet says, “victims are frustrated by the fact that the Government publicly doubts that an adversary target Americans.
The US Congress approved the Havana Law in 2021which authorizes the State Department, the CIA and other US government agencies to provide payments to personnel and families affected by the disease.
With Reuters and local media
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