The Kremlin rejects media reports that Russia may be linked to the Havana syndrome

A unit within the Russian intelligence service may be linked to the Havana syndrome, according to an extensive investigation by 60 Minutes, Der Spiegel and The Insider.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Monday rejected the claim and called it groundless, reports the AFP news agency. Peskov points out that the case has been discussed in the press for many years, but according to him, no one has been able to come up with evidence.

The three media published their articles on the night of Monday. It says the investigation uncovered evidence suggesting the so-called Havana syndrome may have originated from energy weapons carried by members of Unit 29155 of the Russian intelligence service GRU.

The phenomenon known as the Havana syndrome was first reported by several envoys at the US embassy in the Cuban capital, Havana, in 2016.

Migraine and dizziness

Among the symptoms were headaches, migraines, dizziness and memory loss. Some reported hearing loud noises and pressure on the brain.

Later, people who have served in many countries, including Western countries such as Austria, have reported similar problems.

In March of last year, US intelligence agencies concluded that there is no evidence that a foreign enemy has weapons that cause the Havana syndrome. And in August of the same year, the US authorities announced that they were reopening their immigration office in Havana.

According to the CBS program 60 Minutes, the investigation has been going on for five years. To the magazine, the retired officer Greg Edgreen tells that he is certain that Russia was behind the attacks – and that they were part of a worldwide operation to neutralize American service personnel. Edgreen led the Ministry of Defence’s investigation of the incidents.

“It’s the Russians, you fool”

– If my mother had seen what I saw, she would have said “it’s the Russians, you fool”, says the retired officer.

The channel has obtained comments from, among others, the White House on the matter. It states, among other things, that they “continue to emphasize the importance of prioritizing efforts to carry out a large-scale investigation of the effects and possible causes” of the mentioned health problems.

German Der Spiegel and the independent Russian website The Insider have also participated in the work on the cases.

May have occurred two years before

US authorities closed their immigration office in Havana in 2018, partly due to fears that the Havana syndrome was the result of an electronic attack, according to AFP.

There have been several theories as to what caused the syndrome. Among other things, a joint investigation shows that the first cases of the Havana syndrome may have occurred in Germany two years earlier than the cases in Havana in 2016.