A former high-ranking CIA officer, compelled to retire due to a brain injury possibly stemming from a suspected “Havana Syndrome” incident, is advocating for congressional hearings following a recent report linking Russia to the enigmatic neurological symptoms afflicting U.S. diplomats and spies for nearly a decade.
This revelation emerges just over a year after the U.S. intelligence community asserted that it was “highly unlikely” for a foreign adversary to be responsible for the recurring headaches, dizziness, memory loss, and ringing in the ears experienced by numerous American personnel.
Reacting to the new report, former intelligence official Marc Polymeropoulos, who has emerged as a prominent advocate for current and former U.S. officials affected by Havana Syndrome, expressed a mix of concern and incredulity.
He emphasized the significance of reconciling the evidence implicating Russia with the prior analytical assessment that downplayed the role of foreign hostile entities, stating that it defies logic.
An investigative collaboration involving “60 Minutes,” The Insider based in Latvia, and the German publication Der Spiegel, revealed that senior members of Unit 29155 within Russia’s GRU military intelligence agency have been commended and promoted for their involvement in the development of “non-lethal acoustic weapons.”
This reporting aligns with allegations made by victims regarding Russian intelligence targeting American diplomatic personnel and their families. Furthermore, the reports indicate that U.S. intelligence officers posted in Kyiv in 2014 − during Ukraine’s alignment with the U.S. and Russia’s initial annexation of eastern Ukrainian territory − may have been tracked and targeted in subsequent assignments.
In a similar incident, a deputy to CIA Director William Burns was reportedly evacuated from India in 2021 following a comparable attack. American personnel stationed in Cuba, China, Vietnam, Germany, and elsewhere have reported experiencing similar symptoms.
Notably, members of a team preparing for Vice President Kamala Harris’s visit to Vietnam in August 2021 encountered such symptoms, leading to a delay in Harris’s arrival as security officials worked to ensure her safety upon landing in Hanoi.
