Evidence ties Russia to Cuba attacks
Bizarre brain injuries afflicted embassy staff
WASHINGTON — U.S. officials strongly suspect Russia to be the perpetrator of a bizarre series of attacks on dozens of U.S. diplomats in Cuba and China, according to a new report that comes as Russia is flexing its military muscle in new joint war games exercises with China.
U.S. intelligence officials told NBC News that evidence from communication intercepts amassed during the ongoing investigation into unexplained brain injuries in U.S. personnel in Cuba and China indicate that the attacks were orchestrated from Moscow. But, they said, the evidence is not conclusive enough to blame Russia publicly.
Yesterday the State Department urged caution in placing blame until the investigation by the CIA, FBI and other intelligence agencies has concluded.
“I would caution you all to be very skeptical of those officials’ statements right now,” State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert told reporters yesterday. “As you should be aware, the investigation continues.”
“There is no known cause. No known individual or group believed to be responsible at this time. We are looking into it,” Nauert added.
An official determination that Russia directed an attack on U.S. personnel, and any resulting U.S. retaliatory response, would add to the existing tension at the White House and Capitol Hill over the ongoing probe into Russian election meddling and possible involvement by Trump campaign officials.
The report is the latest twist in the stillunexplained attacks on 26 U.S. government employees who were injured by what is believe to be sophisticated microwave or electromagnetic weapons that caused injuries including dizziness, loss of balance, deafness and vision problems. The U.S. response to the incidents, which began in late 2016, led the U.S. to expel 15 officials from the Cuban embassy in Washington and pull its personnel in Havana.
Officials told NBC News that Cuba is no longer suspected of being behind the attack.
The report comes as Russia and China launched joint military exercises in Siberia in a show of military power and growing ties between the nations.
The exercises, involving nearly 300,000 Russian troops — roughly a third of that country’s military — and 3,200 troops from China will be the largest since Russia’s Zapad 1981 Cold Warera exercise, according to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.
At the start of the exercises Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping appeared together, eating caviar and downing vodka shots in a show of solidarity.