The Moscow Signal and Havana Syndrome (2024)

FAQs

What is the Moscow signal Havana syndrome? ›

American diplomats around the world reported experiencing a variety of symptoms including hearing a sudden loud noise, pain in one or both ears, feeling of pressure or vibrations in the head, tinnitus, visual problems, vertigo, nausea and cognitive difficulties.

The 'Moscow signal' incident occurred during the Cold War between 1953 and 1976. The former USSR reportedly irradiated the US embassy with a 2.5 – 4 GHz microwave beam with a maximum reported exposure of 15 μW/cm2 for 18 hours a day (Lilienfeld et al., 1978).

Some affected individuals develop chronic symptoms that last for months, such as balance and cognitive problems, insomnia, and headaches. The longevity of symptoms is not yet clear, and they are less specific than are the acute symptoms.

Havana syndrome: Report links mystery illness to Russian intelligence unit. A mysterious illness that has affected US diplomats in recent years has been linked to a Russian intelligence unit. Personnel stationed around the globe with "Havana Syndrome" have reported unexplained symptoms such as dizziness.

The first known cases of Havana syndrome were reported in Cuba in late 2016, when CIA officers stationed at the U.S. Embassy in Havana reported feeling intense fatigue, nausea and pressure in their heads. Brain scans later showed tissue damage and volume loss similar to those found in persistent concussion syndrome.

This week on 60 Minutes, Scott Pelley and a team of producers continued their five-year investigation into Havana Syndrome, the phenomenon of mysterious brain injuries to U.S. national security officials and diplomats, and their families, both abroad and at home, that in some cases have led to major health conditions, ...

Human experimentation

Mairanovsky and his colleagues tested a variety of lethal poisons on prisoners from the Gulags, including mustard gas, ricin, digitoxin, curare, cyanide, and many others. The objective of these experiments was to identify a tasteless, odorless chemical that could not be detected post-mortem.

The acronym MoSCoW represents four categories of initiatives: must-have, should-have, could-have, and won't-have, or will not have right now. Some companies also use the “W” in MoSCoW to mean “wish.”

Human experimentation

Mairanovsky and his colleagues tested a number of deadly poisons on prisoners from the Gulag ("enemies of the people"), including mustard gas, ricin, digitoxin and many others. The goal of the experiments was to find a tasteless, odourless chemical that could not be detected post mortem.

Eligibility for a Base payment is established by submission of a completed Form CD-350 indicating that you sustained a qualifying injury to the brain on or after January 1, 2016, and confirmation that your injury occurred in connection with war, insurgency, hostile act, terrorist activity, or that your report of an AHI ...

What is the Havana Syndrome migraine? ›

The term “Havana Syndrome” originated after several U.S. diplomats, stationed in Cuba, experienced acute sensation of ear pain, vertigo, tinnitus, migraine and cognitive dysfunction.

Extremely high-power sound waves can disrupt or destroy the eardrums of a target and cause severe pain or disorientation. This is usually sufficient to incapacitate a person. Less powerful sound waves can cause humans to experience nausea or discomfort.

cancer. dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. advanced lung, heart, kidney and liver disease. stroke and other neurological diseases, including motor neurone disease and multiple sclerosis.

While undiagnosed diseases are relatively rare, they still affect millions. Up to 350 million people around the world have an "undiagnosed" or "rare" condition (a rare condition is defined as affecting less than one in 2,000 of the general population in the European Union or fewer than 200,000 people in the US).

Spies, active-duty military, FBI agents, diplomats and at least 15 children are among the 334 Americans who have qualified to get treatment for Havana Syndrome in specialized military health facilities — numbers that conflict with an earlier assessment by U.S. intelligence agencies minimizing the problem.

The year-long investigation “uncovered evidence suggesting that unexplained anomalous health incidents, also known as Havana Syndrome, may have their origin in the use of directed energy weapons wielded by members of (the Russian GRU) Unit 29155,” the report said.

In late 2016 U.S. diplomats and family members based in Cuba began reporting a wide swath of neurological symptoms, including dizziness, headaches, deafness and difficulty concentrating, following exposure to ear-splitting noises around their homes.

The HAVANA Act authorizes agency heads to provide payments to certain individuals who have incurred qualifying injuries to the brain. This rule covers current and former Department of Justice employees and their dependents.