60 Minutes reported the U. S. government acquired a directed-energy weapon from a Russian criminal network and is believed to be testing it on animals, a claim tied to Havana Syndrome cases affecting U. S. officials. Sunday at 9: 00 p. m. ET — the finding matters because producers linked incidents to Russian intelligence and identified victims who say they were targeted by a directed-energy device.
60 Minutes Links Russian Network to Directed-Energy Weapon
The 60 Minutes investigation, led by producers Oriana Zill de Granados and Michael Rey with correspondent Scott Pelley, found that the weapon was acquired from a Russian criminal network and is believed to have been tested on animals. The team concluded the existence of a directed-energy capability that could explain a subset of the incidents, and the report frames that capability as central to ongoing inquiries.
Havana Syndrome Victims Describe Sounds, Cognitive and Vision Problems
The report cataloged a constellation of injuries tied to Havana Syndrome, including cognitive difficulties, vision impairment and balance problems, as well as headaches, nausea and vomiting in some cases. The investigation identified over 65 victims who believe they were targeted by a directed-energy weapon, and producers said those victims include high-ranking U. S. officials who experienced symptoms both in the United States and while serving abroad.
Mark Lenzi and U. S. Officials in Guangzhou and Shanghai Report Strange Noises
Mark Lenzi, a State Department security officer at the U. S. consulate in Guangzhou, said he first heard a sound he described as a “marble” circling down a “metal funnel” four times, always in the same spot and at the same time above his son’s crib. Shortly after those noises, Lenzi said his family began to feel ill; the report says his neighbor, Catherine Werner, also described waking to “intense pressure” on her temples and a “low, humming sound” followed by vomiting and nosebleeds. The 60 Minutes team also found a separate family in Shanghai who reported similar strange sounds in their apartment.
Producers told Overtime they now believe directed-energy weapons exist that can produce these effects, and they linked some incidents to Russian intelligence. Rey noted that Lenzi continues to struggle with long-term cognitive, balance, vision and hearing issues and still requires treatment for his injuries.
The 60 Minutes segment is listed for Sunday, March 8; additional scheduling details, including the full broadcast time in ET, are expected before that air date.
