American officials believe Russia was behind the mysterious sonic attacks on diplomats

U.S. embassy in Havana, Cuba.
(Image credit: YAMIL LAGE/AFP/Getty Images)

U.S. intelligence officials reportedly believe Russia was responsible for attacks that have caused American diplomats in Cuba and China to become mysteriously ill over the past two years.

Starting in 2016, Americans at the U.S. Embassy in Havana began to experience hearing loss, impaired vision, dizziness, and symptoms of brain injury that could not be explained. The most recent incident occurred earlier this year, when the U.S. withdrew several diplomats from China after a government worker experienced signs of a brain injury, per The Washington Post. In total, 26 people have been affected.

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Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.