Undercover U.S. agents obtained a mysterious Russian weapon that could help explain a cluster of brain injuries suffered by American diplomats, intelligence personnel, and military officers for nearly a decade, according to a report aired Sunday on CBS' 60 Minutes.
The incidents have been referred to as Havana Syndrome, a term that emerged after early cases were reported among U.S. diplomats stationed in Cuba.
The broadcast reported that undercover Department of Homeland Security agents secretly obtained the suspected device through a Russian criminal network in a Pentagon-funded operation that cost about $15 million.
The device is described as a miniaturized microwave weapon designed to operate silently and be concealed while targeting individuals from a distance.
Researchers said the device generates a pulsed electromagnetic signal capable of penetrating building materials such as windows and drywall and affecting brain tissue.
The pulsed energy signal has been cited as a possible explanation for sudden neurological symptoms reported by hundreds of American personnel stationed overseas and within the U.S. since at least 2016.
Reported symptoms have included vertigo, hearing loss, migraines, vision problems, and cognitive impairment.
According to the broadcast, the device has been undergoing testing for more than a year at a U.S. military laboratory.
Experiments involving animals reportedly produced injuries similar to those described by people reporting Havana Syndrome symptoms.
Investigators also described reviewing classified security footage that allegedly captured incidents involving Americans experiencing sudden neurological distress.
One video described during the broadcast reportedly shows two FBI agents seated with their families at a restaurant in Istanbul suddenly grabbing their heads in pain after a man carrying a backpack entered.
Another video from the U.S. Embassy in Vienna allegedly shows two individuals collapsing in a stairwell leading to a secure facility.
Stanford University professor David Relman, who previously led two government investigations into the incidents, said research into radiofrequency and microwave effects on humans dates back decades.
Relman said much of the early research into the biological effects of pulsed microwave energy was conducted in the former Soviet Union.
He said pulsed microwave signals can stimulate electrically active tissue such as the brain, potentially producing neurological symptoms.
The New York Post reported that the U.S. government refers to the cases as "anomalous health incidents," or AHI.
A 2023 U.S. intelligence assessment concluded it was "very unlikely" that a foreign adversary was responsible for the incidents, though some scientists and intelligence officials continue examining other possible explanations.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence said in a statement that its ongoing review of intelligence related to the incidents is continuing and that investigators remain committed to completing a comprehensive assessment.
Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
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