Russia's GRU’s Unit 29155, a secretive intelligence unit may have been responsible for cases of 'Havana Syndrome', a medical condition reported by US and Canadian government officials and military personnel primarily in overseas locations, according to the findings of a CBS News documentary teams's five-year-probe with The Insider and Der Spiegel.

The sickness has struck the US diplomats, spies, contractors and their families numbering up to 1,000.&nbsp;

Victims suffer a vast number of mysterious health issues, including hearing loss, insomnia, memory loss, poor balance and inability to concentrate.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-intelligence-chief-to-head-wagners-africa-operations-report-630280">Russian intelligence chief to take over Wagner's Africa operations: Report</a>

The symptoms followed victims complaining of pain in their ears and feelings of strong pressure inside their heads.

The sickness was dubbed “Havana Syndrome” after the staff at the US embassy in the Cuban capital Havana began complaining of this sickness in 2016.

<h2>How Russians Allegedly Targeted Americans with 'Havana Syndrome'</h2>

According to reports, members of Russia's GRU’s Unit 29155 are alleged to have used sonic weapons, using radio frequencies to target their victims’ brains.

A number of victims of these alleged attacks have also claimed that Washington tried to cover up the Russian involvement.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, a recent extensive study by the US National Institute of Health (NIH) found no clinical explanation for Havana Syndrome, further complicating its secretive nature.&nbsp;

<h2>Frankfurt before Havana? First cases reportedly date back to 2014</h2>

According to the investigation, the first cases of what later came to be known as Havana Syndrome date back to 2014 when four Americans stationed in Frankfurt reported symptoms.&nbsp;

Similar complaints were made later that year by CIA officers in Ukraine.

"What we found was we thought clear evidence of an injury to the auditory and vestibular system of the brain," Dr Relman of Stanford University was quoted as saying by The Telegraph.&nbsp;

"Everything starting with the inner ear where humans perceive sound and sense balance, and then translate those perceptions into brain electrical signals."

Also watch |&nbsp;Gravitas | Russia revives Stalin's Anti-spy unit 'Smersh'

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The report cited an Olivia Troye, who was a homeland security adviser to former US Vice President Mike Pence, as one of the victims when she was attacked in Washington DC.

"It was like this piercing feeling on the side of my head. It was like, I remember it was on the right side of my head and I, I got like vertigo,” she told 60 Minutes.

Another victim, who was reportedly working in the Georgian capital Tbilisi described how she heard a piercing sound.&nbsp;

An investigative journalist Christo Grozev identified the alleged assailant as Albert Averyanov.

WION could not independently verify Grozev's claim.&nbsp;

Averyanov is reportedly the son of the founder of Unit 29155.

The Havana Syndrome's victim in the Georgian capital Tbilisi reportedly saw Averyanov in a car outside her home.&nbsp;

The investigation concluded it was the work of Unit 29155.

<h2>US government accused of hiding the truth</h2>

Mark Zaid, a lawyer representing many of the victims, has accused the US government of concealing the truth.

"It has been so distressing to see how much effort our government has undertaken to cover up the true details of these attacks, no doubt perpetrated by a foreign adversary," Zaid was quoted as saying by The Telegraph.

The US Office of the Director of National Intelligence has disputed his conclusion.

In an official statement, it said the incidents "were the result of factors that did not involve a foreign adversary".

(With inputs from agencies)

Russia's GRU’s Unit 29155, a secretive intelligence unit may have been responsible for cases of 'Havana Syndrome', a medical condition reported by US and Canadian government officials and military personnel primarily in overseas locations, according to the findings of a CBS News documentary teams's five-year-probe with The Insider and Der Spiegel.

Russia's GRU’s Unit 29155, a secretive intelligence unit may have been responsible for cases of 'Havana Syndrome', a medical condition reported by US and Canadian government officials and military personnel primarily in overseas locations, according to the findings of a CBS News documentary teams's five-year-probe with The Insider and Der Spiegel. The sickness has struck the US diplomats, spies, contractors and their families numbering up to 1,000. Victims suffer a vast number of mysterious health issues, including hearing loss, insomnia, memory loss, poor balance and inability to concentrate. Also read | Russian intelligence chief to take over Wagner's Africa operations: Report The symptoms followed victims complaining of pain in their ears and feelings of strong pressure inside their heads. The sickness was dubbed “Havana Syndrome” after the staff at the US embassy in the Cuban capital Havana began complaining of this sickness in 2016. How Russians Allegedly Targeted Americans with 'Havana Syndrome' According to reports, members of Russia's GRU’s Unit 29155 are alleged to have used sonic weapons, using radio frequencies to target their victims’ brains. A number of victims of these alleged attacks have also claimed that Washington tried to cover up the Russian involvement. Meanwhile, a recent extensive study by the US National Institute of Health (NIH) found no clinical explanation for Havana Syndrome, further complicating its secretive nature. Frankfurt before Havana? First cases reportedly date back to 2014 According to the investigation, the first cases of what later came to be known as Havana Syndrome date back to 2014 when four Americans stationed in Frankfurt reported symptoms. Similar complaints were made later that year by CIA officers in Ukraine. "What we found was we thought clear evidence of an injury to the auditory and vestibular system of the brain," Dr Relman of Stanford University was quoted as saying by The Telegraph. "Everything starting with the inner ear where humans perceive sound and sense balance, and then translate those perceptions into brain electrical signals." Also watch | Gravitas | Russia revives Stalin's Anti-spy unit 'Smersh' × The report cited an Olivia Troye, who was a homeland security adviser to former US Vice President Mike Pence, as one of the victims when she was attacked in Washington DC. "It was like this piercing feeling on the side of my head. It was like, I remember it was on the right side of my head and I, I got like vertigo,” she told 60 Minutes. Another victim, who was reportedly working in the Georgian capital Tbilisi described how she heard a piercing sound. An investigative journalist Christo Grozev identified the alleged assailant as Albert Averyanov. WION could not independently verify Grozev's claim. Averyanov is reportedly the son of the founder of Unit 29155. The Havana Syndrome's victim in the Georgian capital Tbilisi reportedly saw Averyanov in a car outside her home. The investigation concluded it was the work of Unit 29155. US government accused of hiding the truth Mark Zaid, a lawyer representing many of the victims, has accused the US government of concealing the truth. "It has been so distressing to see how much effort our government has undertaken to cover up the true details of these attacks, no doubt perpetrated by a foreign adversary," Zaid was quoted as saying by The Telegraph. The US Office of the Director of National Intelligence has disputed his conclusion. In an official statement, it said the incidents "were the result of factors that did not involve a foreign adversary". (With inputs from agencies)

Russia's secret intelligence unit responsible for spreading 'Havana Syndrome' in US, Canada: Report

Investigators have discovered an undercover Russian spy in Italy who allegedly "charmed her way into NATO circles", say reports.

Researchers from Bellingcat,&nbsp;a Netherlands-based investigative journalism group that specialises in fact-checking and open-source intelligence, said a woman named Maria Adela Kuhfeldt Rivera posed as a Latin American jewellery designer and travelled the world as a Peru-born socialite and had made friends in the NATO offices in Naples while she worked as a deep-cover spy.

The woman was defined as a "GRU illegal" by the investigators. 
 
“Maria Adela” reportedly travelled to Malta and Rome between 2009 and 2011 and tried to obtain a German passport because she reportedly had a German father. The investigators said she received a Russian passport in 2006.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-spy-held-for-trying-to-enter-international-criminal-court-via-internship-in-netherlands-488938">Also Read:&nbsp;</a><a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/russian-spy-held-for-trying-to-enter-international-criminal-court-via-internship-in-netherlands-488938" hreflang="en">Russian spy held for trying to enter war crimes court in Netherlands</a>

“Maria Adela” also allegedly married an Italian man. Investigators, however, claimed the man was born in Moscow and held Ecuadorian and Russian citizenship. The man reportedly died in Moscow in 2013.

Watch:&nbsp;Russian hacking group targets Norway's public websites

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The woman's mother had reportedly left her in the former Soviet Union in 1980 as she visited the country to witness the Olympic Games. The mother apparently never returned after leaving for Peru. She was adopted by a Russian family&nbsp;which&nbsp;had befriended her mother. Maria claimed her adoptive parents abused her during her childhood.

Adela moved to Naples in 2015 and worked as a "Russian spy" and worked for the military intelligence agency, the GRU, as she mixed in&nbsp;the local social scene and opened a jewellery boutique which became a trendy club. She was also part of the Lions Club and reportedly mingled with many NATO staff members and one NATO employee allegedly had a "brief romantic relationship with Maria Adela". 
 
She also reportedly had access to US Navy officers in Naples and attended NATO annual balls, fund-raising dinners and US Marine Corps balls.

The mysterious 'GRU illegal' also visited Bahrain in 2017, Bellingcat revealed, however, in 2018 she suddenly flew to Moscow and allegedly said on her Facebook page that she had cancer and had undergone chemotherapy.

(With inputs from Agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

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Investigators have discovered an undercover Russian spy in Italy who allegedly "charmed her way into NATO circles", say reports. Researchers from Bellingcat, a Netherlands-based investigative journalism group that specialises in fact-checking and open-source intelligence, said a woman named Maria Adela Kuhfeldt Rivera posed as a Latin American jewellery designer and travelled the world as a Peru-born socialite and had made friends in the NATO offices in Naples while she worked as a deep-cover spy.

Investigators have discovered an undercover Russian spy in Italy who allegedly "charmed her way into NATO circles", say reports. Researchers from Bellingcat, a Netherlands-based investigative journalism group that specialises in fact-checking and open-source intelligence, said a woman named Maria Adela Kuhfeldt Rivera posed as a Latin American jewellery designer and travelled the world as a Peru-born socialite and had made friends in the NATO offices in Naples while she worked as a deep-cover spy. The woman was defined as a "GRU illegal" by the investigators. “Maria Adela” reportedly travelled to Malta and Rome between 2009 and 2011 and tried to obtain a German passport because she reportedly had a German father. The investigators said she received a Russian passport in 2006. Also Read: Russian spy held for trying to enter war crimes court in Netherlands “Maria Adela” also allegedly married an Italian man. Investigators, however, claimed the man was born in Moscow and held Ecuadorian and Russian citizenship. The man reportedly died in Moscow in 2013. Watch: Russian hacking group targets Norway's public websites The woman's mother had reportedly left her in the former Soviet Union in 1980 as she visited the country to witness the Olympic Games. The mother apparently never returned after leaving for Peru. She was adopted by a Russian family which had befriended her mother. Maria claimed her adoptive parents abused her during her childhood. Adela moved to Naples in 2015 and worked as a "Russian spy" and worked for the military intelligence agency, the GRU, as she mixed in the local social scene and opened a jewellery boutique which became a trendy club. She was also part of the Lions Club and reportedly mingled with many NATO staff members and one NATO employee allegedly had a "brief romantic relationship with Maria Adela". She also reportedly had access to US Navy officers in Naples and attended NATO annual balls, fund-raising dinners and US Marine Corps balls. The mysterious 'GRU illegal' also visited Bahrain in 2017, Bellingcat revealed, however, in 2018 she suddenly flew to Moscow and allegedly said on her Facebook page that she had cancer and had undergone chemotherapy. (With inputs from Agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Russian 'deep cover-spy' mixed freely with NATO officials in Naples, claim investigators

The German government today summoned&nbsp;the Russian envoy over the Parliament hacking incident after Russian authorities said that its military intelligence wasn't responsible for the hacking attack.

“This hackneyed story is trying to put blame on Russia for cyber warfare, attempts at intimidation, destabilization and disinformation towards the EU,” the Russian embassy said in a statement.

According to a German magazine, Der Spiegel Russia's GRU military intelligence had hacked into German Parliament's records in 2015.

"The Russian ambassador was informed that on the basis of an arrest warrant issued by the (German) federal prosecutor's office on May 5 against Russian national Dmitry Badin, that the German government will seek in Brussels to use the EU cyber sanctions regime against those responsible for the attack on the German Bundestag, including Mr Badin," the ministry said.

German Chancellor Merkel while making a statement in Parliament earlier had said earlier that her efforts to improve ties with Russia weren't made any easier due to Russian hacking.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

"I can honestly say that it pains me. Every day I try to build a better relationship with Russia and on the other hand, there is such hard evidence that Russian forces are doing this," Merkel told the German Parliament.

"Unfortunately the conclusion I have reached is that this is not new," Merkel asserted while saying that "cyber-disorientation, the distortion of facts were all part of Russia's strategy".

"Obviously this doesn't make it easier to foster a better relationship with Moscow," Merkel told lawmakers.&nbsp;

The German government today summoned the Russian envoy over the Parliament hacking incident after Russian authorities said that its military intelligence wasn't responsible for the hacking attack.

The German government today summoned the Russian envoy over the Parliament hacking incident after Russian authorities said that its military intelligence wasn't responsible for the hacking attack. “This hackneyed story is trying to put blame on Russia for cyber warfare, attempts at intimidation, destabilization and disinformation towards the EU,” the Russian embassy said in a statement. According to a German magazine, Der Spiegel Russia's GRU military intelligence had hacked into German Parliament's records in 2015. "The Russian ambassador was informed that on the basis of an arrest warrant issued by the (German) federal prosecutor's office on May 5 against Russian national Dmitry Badin, that the German government will seek in Brussels to use the EU cyber sanctions regime against those responsible for the attack on the German Bundestag, including Mr Badin," the ministry said. German Chancellor Merkel while making a statement in Parliament earlier had said earlier that her efforts to improve ties with Russia weren't made any easier due to Russian hacking. "I can honestly say that it pains me. Every day I try to build a better relationship with Russia and on the other hand, there is such hard evidence that Russian forces are doing this," Merkel told the German Parliament. "Unfortunately the conclusion I have reached is that this is not new," Merkel asserted while saying that "cyber-disorientation, the distortion of facts were all part of Russia's strategy". "Obviously this doesn't make it easier to foster a better relationship with Moscow," Merkel told lawmakers.

Germany summons Russian ambassador over Parliament hacking row

Ukraine's security service SBU said on Wednesday it had captured a Russian military intelligence hit squad responsible for the attempted murder of a Ukrainian military spy in the run-up to a presidential election on Sunday.

The issue of how to deal with Russia, which annexed Crimea in 2014 and backs pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, is prominent ahead of the vote, with incumbent Petro Poroshenko casting himself as the commander-in-chief Ukraine needs to defend the country.

Vasyl Hrytsak, the head of the SBU, the main intelligence agency, told a news conference in Kiev that seven members of the Russian group had been detained and charged and that an eighth person had been detained on Wednesday morning.

Two of the group's members were Russian citizens, said Anatoly Matios, Ukraine's military prosecutor, describing them as staff officers of Russia's GRU military intelligence agency. The other six were Ukrainians.

There was no immediate reaction from Russia's GRU.

The SBU has reported before that it captured groups belonging to Russian special agencies.

"Those detained were involved in the attempted murder of an employee of the Ukrainian defence ministry's intelligence service...in Kiev in April," said Matios, adding the group had planted a bomb beneath the man's car which had gone off prematurely, badly injuring one of the accused.

The SBU released a video of the same incident which showed a man placing the bomb under a car before a big explosion. The video showed a man lying in a hospital bed with part of his right arm missing saying he was Russian and born in Moscow.

Ukraine's security service SBU said on Wednesday it had captured a Russian military intelligence hit squad responsible for the attempted murder of a Ukrainian military spy in the run-up to a presidential election on Sunday.

Ukraine's security service SBU said on Wednesday it had captured a Russian military intelligence hit squad responsible for the attempted murder of a Ukrainian military spy in the run-up to a presidential election on Sunday. The issue of how to deal with Russia, which annexed Crimea in 2014 and backs pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, is prominent ahead of the vote, with incumbent Petro Poroshenko casting himself as the commander-in-chief Ukraine needs to defend the country. Vasyl Hrytsak, the head of the SBU, the main intelligence agency, told a news conference in Kiev that seven members of the Russian group had been detained and charged and that an eighth person had been detained on Wednesday morning. Two of the group's members were Russian citizens, said Anatoly Matios, Ukraine's military prosecutor, describing them as staff officers of Russia's GRU military intelligence agency. The other six were Ukrainians. There was no immediate reaction from Russia's GRU. The SBU has reported before that it captured groups belonging to Russian special agencies. "Those detained were involved in the attempted murder of an employee of the Ukrainian defence ministry's intelligence service...in Kiev in April," said Matios, adding the group had planted a bomb beneath the man's car which had gone off prematurely, badly injuring one of the accused. The SBU released a video of the same incident which showed a man placing the bomb under a car before a big explosion. The video showed a man lying in a hospital bed with part of his right arm missing saying he was Russian and born in Moscow.

Russian military intelligence hit squad detained: Ukraine security service

The second of two Russians who Britain blames for the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal was named by investigative website Bellingcat on Monday as a military doctor for Russia's GRU intelligence service.

Bellingcat, which covers intelligence matters, named him as Alexander Yevgenyevich Mishkin, aged 39, who was charged by Britain last month under the name of Alexander Petrov.

Britain's Daily Telegraph newspaper also named Mishkin in a separate report published on Monday.

British prosecutors charged Petrov and another man they named as Ruslan Boshirov in absentia with attempted murder for the Novichok nerve agent attack on Skripal and his daughter in the English city of Salisbury in March, but said they believed the suspects had used aliases to enter Britain.

Bellingcat last month identified Boshirov as a colonel in the GRU whose real name was Anatoliy Chepiga.

British police said they would not comment on speculation about the real identities of the two men facing charges, in response to a query about the latest report.

Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found slumped on a public bench in Salisbury, and the case prompted the biggest East-West diplomatic expulsions since the Cold War.

A woman later died from Novichok poisoning after her partner found a counterfeit perfume bottle which police believe had been used to smuggle the nerve agent into Britain.

Mishkin was born in July 1979 in the village of Loyga in the Archangelsk district of northern Russia, and until September 2014 his registered home address in Moscow was the same as the headquarters of the GRU, Bellingcat said.

"Bellingcat's identification process included multiple open sources, testimony from people familiar with the person, as well as copies of personally identifying documents, including a scanned copy of his passport," the website said.

Mishkin's GRU rank was unknown, it added, but based on his 15-year service was likely to be lieutenant colonel or colonel.

He was recruited by GRU during his studies at one of Russia's military medical academies, and between 2011 and 2018 he travelled repeatedly under the identity of Alexander Petrov, including to Ukraine and Moldova's breakaway territory of Transdniestria.

Russia denies any involvement in the poisoning, and the two men have said publicly they were tourists who had flown to London for fun and visited Salisbury to see its cathedral.

Russia's embassy in London did not immediately reply to an emailed request for comment.

The second of two Russians who Britain blames for the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal was named by investigative website Bellingcat on Monday as a military doctor for Russia's GRU intelligence service.

The second of two Russians who Britain blames for the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal was named by investigative website Bellingcat on Monday as a military doctor for Russia's GRU intelligence service. Bellingcat, which covers intelligence matters, named him as Alexander Yevgenyevich Mishkin, aged 39, who was charged by Britain last month under the name of Alexander Petrov. Britain's Daily Telegraph newspaper also named Mishkin in a separate report published on Monday. British prosecutors charged Petrov and another man they named as Ruslan Boshirov in absentia with attempted murder for the Novichok nerve agent attack on Skripal and his daughter in the English city of Salisbury in March, but said they believed the suspects had used aliases to enter Britain. Bellingcat last month identified Boshirov as a colonel in the GRU whose real name was Anatoliy Chepiga. British police said they would not comment on speculation about the real identities of the two men facing charges, in response to a query about the latest report. Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found slumped on a public bench in Salisbury, and the case prompted the biggest East-West diplomatic expulsions since the Cold War. A woman later died from Novichok poisoning after her partner found a counterfeit perfume bottle which police believe had been used to smuggle the nerve agent into Britain. Mishkin was born in July 1979 in the village of Loyga in the Archangelsk district of northern Russia, and until September 2014 his registered home address in Moscow was the same as the headquarters of the GRU, Bellingcat said. "Bellingcat's identification process included multiple open sources, testimony from people familiar with the person, as well as copies of personally identifying documents, including a scanned copy of his passport," the website said. Mishkin's GRU rank was unknown, it added, but based on his 15-year service was likely to be lieutenant colonel or colonel. He was recruited by GRU during his studies at one of Russia's military medical academies, and between 2011 and 2018 he travelled repeatedly under the identity of Alexander Petrov, including to Ukraine and Moldova's breakaway territory of Transdniestria. Russia denies any involvement in the poisoning, and the two men have said publicly they were tourists who had flown to London for fun and visited Salisbury to see its cathedral. Russia's embassy in London did not immediately reply to an emailed request for comment.

Second Russian blamed for Skripal poisoning named as GRU doctor: Report 

Britain threatened on Tuesday to pull out of the soccer World Cup in Russia if Moscow was shown to be behind the mysterious illness that <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/ex-russian-spy-sergei-skripal-daughter-ill-after-exposure-to-unidentified-substance-in-britain-34897" target="_blank">struck down</a> a Russian former double agent convicted of betraying dozens of spies to British intelligence.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson named Sergei Skripal, once a colonel in Russia&#39;s GRU military intelligence service, and his daughter, Yulia, as the two people who were found unconscious on Sunday on a bench outside a shopping centre in southern England.

Skripal, 66, and his 33-year-old daughter were exposed to what police said was an unknown substance in the English city of Salisbury. Both are still critically ill in intensive care.

&quot;We don&#39;t know exactly what has taken place in Salisbury, but if it&#39;s as bad as it looks, it is another crime in the litany of crimes that we can lay at Russia&#39;s door,&quot; Johnson told the British parliament.

&quot;It is clear that Russia, I&#39;m afraid, is now in many respects a malign and disruptive force, and the UK is in the lead across the world in trying to counteract that activity.&quot;

If Moscow was shown to be behind Skripal&#39;s illness, Johnson said, it would be difficult to see how Britain could attend the World Cup in Russia in June and July.

England is the only British national team to have qualified for the tournament, which is held every four years.

A previous British inquiry said President Vladimir Putin probably approved the 2006 murder of ex-KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko with radioactive polonium-210 in London. The Kremlin has repeatedly denied any involvement in Litvinenko&#39;s killing.

Litvinenko, 43, an outspoken critic of Putin who fled Russia for Britain six years before he was poisoned, died after drinking green tea laced with the rare and very potent radioactive isotope at London&rsquo;s Millennium Hotel.

It took some time for British doctors to discern the cause of Litvinenko&#39;s illness.

His murder sent Britain&#39;s relations with Russia to what was then a post-Cold War low. Relations suffered further from Russia&#39;s annexation of Crimea and military backing of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad against rebels trying to topple him.

&nbsp;

RUSSIAN DOUBLE AGENT

While the British authorities said there was no known risk to the public from the unidentified substance, they sealed off the area where Skripal was found, a pizza restaurant called Zizzi and the Bishop&#39;s Mill pub in the centre of Salisbury.

Some investigators at one point wore yellow chemical suits, though most police at the scene did not.

Skripal, who passed the identity of dozens of spies to the MI6 foreign intelligence agency, was given refuge in Britain after he was exchanged in 2010 for Russian spies caught in the West as part of a Cold War-style spy swap at Vienna airport.

The Kremlin said it was ready to cooperate if Britain asked it for help investigating the incident with Skripal.

Calling it a &quot;tragic situation,&quot; Putin&#39;s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Kremlin had no information about the incident.

Asked to respond to British media speculation that Russia had poisoned Skripal, Peskov said: &quot;It didn&#39;t take them long.&quot;

Russia&#39;s embassy in London said the incident was being used to demonise Russia and that it was seriously concerned by British media reporting of the Skripal incident.

Russia&rsquo;s foreign spy service, known as the SVR, said it had no comment to make. Russia&rsquo;s foreign ministry, and the Russian counter-intelligence service, the FSB, did not immediately respond to questions submitted by Reuters about the case.

&nbsp;

FROM MOSCOW TO SALISBURY

Skripal was arrested in 2004 by Russia&#39;s Federal Security Service (FSB) on suspicion of betraying dozens of Russian agents to British intelligence. He was sentenced to 13 years in prison in 2006 after a secret trial.

Skripal, who was shown wearing a track suit in a cage in court during the sentencing, had admitted betraying agents to MI6 in return for money, some of it paid into a Spanish bank account, Russian media said at the time.

But he was pardoned in 2010 by then-President Dmitry Medvedev as part of a swap to bring 10 Russian agents held in the United States back to Moscow.

The swap, one of the biggest since the Cold War ended in 1991, took place on the tarmac of Vienna airport where a Russian and a U.S. jet parked side by side before the agents were exchanged.

One of the Russian spies exchanged for Skripal was Anna Chapman. She was one of 10 who tried to blend into American society in an apparent bid to get close to power brokers and learn secrets. They were arrested by the FBI in 2010.

The returning spies were greeted as heroes in Moscow. Putin, himself a former KGB officer, sang patriotic songs with them.

Skripal, though, was cast as a traitor by Moscow. He is thought to have done serious damage to Russian spy networks in Britain and Europe.

The GRU spy service, created in 1918 under revolutionary leader Leon Trotsky, is controlled by the military general staff and reports directly to the president. It has spies spread across the world.

Since emerging from the John le Carre world of high espionage and betrayal, Skripal lived modestly in Salisbury and kept out of the spotlight until he was found unconscious on Sunday at 1615 GMT.

Wiltshire police said a small number of emergency services personnel were examined immediately after the incident and all but one had been released from hospital.

Skripal&#39;s wife died shortly after her arrival in Britain from &quot;disseminated endometrial carcinoma,&quot; the Guardian newspaper reported. His son died on a recent visit to Russia.

A white and yellow police forensics tent covered the bench where Skripal was taken ill.

The World Cup this year is being held in Russia

Britain threatened on Tuesday to pull out of the soccer World Cup in Russia if Moscow was shown to be behind the mysterious illness that struck down a Russian former double agent convicted of betraying dozens of spies to British intelligence. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson named Sergei Skripal, once a colonel in Russia's GRU military intelligence service, and his daughter, Yulia, as the two people who were found unconscious on Sunday on a bench outside a shopping centre in southern England. Skripal, 66, and his 33-year-old daughter were exposed to what police said was an unknown substance in the English city of Salisbury. Both are still critically ill in intensive care. "We don't know exactly what has taken place in Salisbury, but if it's as bad as it looks, it is another crime in the litany of crimes that we can lay at Russia's door," Johnson told the British parliament. "It is clear that Russia, I'm afraid, is now in many respects a malign and disruptive force, and the UK is in the lead across the world in trying to counteract that activity." If Moscow was shown to be behind Skripal's illness, Johnson said, it would be difficult to see how Britain could attend the World Cup in Russia in June and July. England is the only British national team to have qualified for the tournament, which is held every four years. A previous British inquiry said President Vladimir Putin probably approved the 2006 murder of ex-KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko with radioactive polonium-210 in London. The Kremlin has repeatedly denied any involvement in Litvinenko's killing. Litvinenko, 43, an outspoken critic of Putin who fled Russia for Britain six years before he was poisoned, died after drinking green tea laced with the rare and very potent radioactive isotope at London’s Millennium Hotel. It took some time for British doctors to discern the cause of Litvinenko's illness. His murder sent Britain's relations with Russia to what was then a post-Cold War low. Relations suffered further from Russia's annexation of Crimea and military backing of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad against rebels trying to topple him. RUSSIAN DOUBLE AGENT While the British authorities said there was no known risk to the public from the unidentified substance, they sealed off the area where Skripal was found, a pizza restaurant called Zizzi and the Bishop's Mill pub in the centre of Salisbury. Some investigators at one point wore yellow chemical suits, though most police at the scene did not. Skripal, who passed the identity of dozens of spies to the MI6 foreign intelligence agency, was given refuge in Britain after he was exchanged in 2010 for Russian spies caught in the West as part of a Cold War-style spy swap at Vienna airport. The Kremlin said it was ready to cooperate if Britain asked it for help investigating the incident with Skripal. Calling it a "tragic situation," Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Kremlin had no information about the incident. Asked to respond to British media speculation that Russia had poisoned Skripal, Peskov said: "It didn't take them long." Russia's embassy in London said the incident was being used to demonise Russia and that it was seriously concerned by British media reporting of the Skripal incident. Russia’s foreign spy service, known as the SVR, said it had no comment to make. Russia’s foreign ministry, and the Russian counter-intelligence service, the FSB, did not immediately respond to questions submitted by Reuters about the case. FROM MOSCOW TO SALISBURY Skripal was arrested in 2004 by Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) on suspicion of betraying dozens of Russian agents to British intelligence. He was sentenced to 13 years in prison in 2006 after a secret trial. Skripal, who was shown wearing a track suit in a cage in court during the sentencing, had admitted betraying agents to MI6 in return for money, some of it paid into a Spanish bank account, Russian media said at the time. But he was pardoned in 2010 by then-President Dmitry Medvedev as part of a swap to bring 10 Russian agents held in the United States back to Moscow. The swap, one of the biggest since the Cold War ended in 1991, took place on the tarmac of Vienna airport where a Russian and a U.S. jet parked side by side before the agents were exchanged. One of the Russian spies exchanged for Skripal was Anna Chapman. She was one of 10 who tried to blend into American society in an apparent bid to get close to power brokers and learn secrets. They were arrested by the FBI in 2010. The returning spies were greeted as heroes in Moscow. Putin, himself a former KGB officer, sang patriotic songs with them. Skripal, though, was cast as a traitor by Moscow. He is thought to have done serious damage to Russian spy networks in Britain and Europe. The GRU spy service, created in 1918 under revolutionary leader Leon Trotsky, is controlled by the military general staff and reports directly to the president. It has spies spread across the world. Since emerging from the John le Carre world of high espionage and betrayal, Skripal lived modestly in Salisbury and kept out of the spotlight until he was found unconscious on Sunday at 1615 GMT. Wiltshire police said a small number of emergency services personnel were examined immediately after the incident and all but one had been released from hospital. Skripal's wife died shortly after her arrival in Britain from "disseminated endometrial carcinoma," the Guardian newspaper reported. His son died on a recent visit to Russia. A white and yellow police forensics tent covered the bench where Skripal was taken ill.

England threatens to pull out of Football World Cup if Russia behind spy's mysterious illness

Trump&#39;s former campaign member, long-time friend&nbsp;and mega supporter Roger Stone was apparently in email communication with the Russian hackers being probed by the FBI, known as &quot;Guccifer 2.0&quot;, according to &quot;a source&quot; in a report filed by <a href="http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/investigation/roger-stone-and-guccifer-913684" target="_blank">The Smoking Gun</a>&nbsp;(TSG).

Guccifer 2.0 claims to be an independent hacker, but US intelligence says &quot;with high confidence&quot;&nbsp;that it was in fact GRU, Russian Military Intel Service simply&nbsp;operating&nbsp;under the alias &quot;Guccifer 2.0&quot;,&nbsp;with the specific aim&nbsp;to help Donald Trump get elected president.

The email from Guccifer 2.0&nbsp;is dated from&nbsp;June 15, 2016, when Roger Stone was still officially a member of the Trump campaign.

Attached in TSG&#39;s long&nbsp;article about Roger Stone was an&nbsp;email&nbsp;from &quot;Guccifer 2.0&quot; purportedly&nbsp;to Stone himself. Nowhere in the email does it say &quot;Roger Stone&quot;, but TSG&#39;s article also contained&nbsp;an IRS tax document with Roger Stone&#39;s name on it. This does not mean that the email from Guccifer 2.0 is authentically addressed to Roger Stone, but TSG&nbsp;does have a leak that provided&nbsp;official correspondence between Stone and the American Government, ie the IRS (Internal Revenue Service).&nbsp;&nbsp;

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If this email is truly from Russian hackers to an official member of Donald Trump&#39;s election campaign, it would be very, very damning. Photo source: The Smoking Gun. (Others)
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WION contacted&nbsp;TSG to ask about the source of the leak, and for proof that the email from Guccifer 2.0 was indeed mailed to Roger Stone. So far they have not&nbsp;responded, and we will update the article if they do.

&nbsp;

Why would this email prove?

If this email is truly from Guccifer 2.0 to Roger Stone, it means that an official&nbsp;Trump campaign member was in communication with the Russian government, and worked with them as they&nbsp;interfered with the US election on Trump&#39;s behalf.

Before, it was clear that Russia hacked the Democrats,&nbsp;who then&nbsp;sent emails&nbsp;to WikiLeaks. In fact, the first time WikiLeaks published the Democrat&#39;s emails was on October 7, just <a href="http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/dec/18/john-podesta/its-true-wikileaks-dumped-podesta-emails-hour-afte/" target="_blank">hours </a>after the recording leaked of Trump saying, &quot;Grab them by the p*ssy&quot;.&nbsp;

But there was no proof that Trump worked directly with Russia, or with WikiLeaks.

That changed days&nbsp;ago when the same <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-ally-says-he-worked-with-assange-pre-election-to-spread-clinton-emails-in-abusive-twitter-tirade-13089" target="_blank">Roger Stone </a>took to Twitter to say he had a &quot;perfectly legal back channel with WikiLeaks&quot; and also&nbsp;said, &quot;Assange does NOT work for Russians and nobody has proved otherwise&quot;. Actually, Stone has admitted to being in &quot;direct contact&quot; with Julian Assange himself. Essentially,&nbsp;the Trump campaign&nbsp;did&nbsp;have open communication with WikiLeaks.

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Listen to &quot;long time Trump advisor&quot; Roger Stone here... sure seems to know what Assange (Russia) had in store: <a href="https://t.co/EclA0jpXIU">pic.twitter.com/EclA0jpXIU</a>
&mdash; justin kanew (@justin_kanew) <a href="https://twitter.com/justin_kanew/status/838485426050641920">March 5, 2017</a></blockquote>
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It may be&nbsp;noteworthy that WikiLeaks was responsible for the&nbsp;biggest ever leak of secret&nbsp;CIA <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/mar/07/wikileaks-publishes-biggest-ever-leak-of-secret-cia-documents-hacking-surveillance" target="_blank">documents</a>, and it came amid Trump&#39;s ongoing war with US intelligence, and&nbsp;just days after Stone admitted to having a channel of communication with WikiLeaks.

Here is Trump encouraging Russia to hack Clinton&#39;s emails:

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gNa2B5zHfbQ" width="560"></iframe>

While Russia&#39;s interference in the US election may constitute an act of war between the countries, this doesn&#39;t necessarily reflect on President Trump.&nbsp;

But if the Guccifer 2.0-Stone email is confirmed, it&nbsp;proves that the exact same aide in Trump&#39;s campaign was in contact with not just WikiLeaks but with the Russian Military Intelligence Service,&nbsp;the very people who hacked the Democrats.

&nbsp;

Does anything else suggest Russia and Trump are connected?

Jeff Sessions&nbsp;recused himself from the US intelligence&#39;s&nbsp;investigation into the Trump-Russia connection after it emerged that he at least twice met the Russian ambassador, Sergey Kislyak, and lied about it under oath.

Shortly after Sessions met Kislyak at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland last summer, the Republican Party changed the language in their policy to become more aligned with Russia. Former Trump aide <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/jd-gordon-trump-adviser-ukraine-rnc-2017-3" target="_blank">JD Gordon</a> just claimed this alignment was on the insistence of&nbsp;Donald Trump himself. Historically, Jeff Sessions has been decidedly<a href="http://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/3/2/14790818/jeff-sessions-russia-attorney-general-lie-congress-perjury-recusal" target="_blank"> anti-Russia</a>.

It was also just reported that <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-himself-met-russian-ambassador-before-election-report-13160" target="_blank">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;himself&nbsp;met the Russian ambassador and lied about it. Other members of his administration or his campaign who have done the same include: National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, Carter Page, Paul Manafort, JD Gordon, and as mentioned Jeff Sessions. Trump&#39;s son-in-law and White House adviser Jared Kushner also met Kislyak, but after the election.

Flynn had to resign from his position as the head of national security after <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/national-security-adviser-flynn-discussed-sanctions-with-russian-ambassador-despite-denials-officials-say/2017/02/09/f85b29d6-ee11-11e6-b4ff-ac2cf509efe5_story.html?hpid=hp_rhp-top-table-main_usrussia-%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&amp;utm_term=.4def7586fab0" target="_blank">The Washington Post</a> reported that not only did Flynn lie about meeting with the Russian ambassador, but that he called Kislyak repeatedly the day Obama levelled sanctions against Russia to discuss those&nbsp;sanctions. The phone calls were recordedm as per ordinary US intelligence protocol.

From the report, which cited&nbsp;nine senior officials in US intelligence: &quot;All of those officials said Flynn&#39;s reference to the election-related sanctions were explicit.&quot;&nbsp;

The notorious Christopher Steele dossier alleges that Putin, the former head of Russia&#39;s spy agency, has enough information over Trump to blackmail him. That dossier contains allegations that are false, mostly slight error about inessential items.&nbsp;But&nbsp;more and more of it&nbsp;is being <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RbpBxJ3QNyvts_w16UcSSGeH7cSrXK9U3wIq0OOq-Xs/preview" target="_blank">corroborated</a>.

Trump has <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/analysis-trump-russia-and-deutsche-banklinks-that-raise-many-many-questions-11975" target="_blank">many </a>links with Russia, and has had them for decades.&nbsp;

Trump dismisses&nbsp;his&nbsp;alleged connection to Russia as Fake News. It&#39;s a real possibility that this email is not what it claims to be. &nbsp;

But Trump is definitely lying about aspects of his connection to Russia. It would be funny if the stakes weren&#39;t so high, but here is Trump denying he&nbsp;knows Vladimir Putin, while also&nbsp;bragging about his personal relationship with Putin.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WadK_pXsEGE" width="560"></iframe>

(WION)

A published email claiming to be from 'Guccifer 2.0' to Roger Stone would prove that Trump's campaign communicated with Kremlin hackers

Trump's former campaign member, long-time friend and mega supporter Roger Stone was apparently in email communication with the Russian hackers being probed by the FBI, known as "Guccifer 2.0", according to "a source" in a report filed by The Smoking Gun (TSG). Guccifer 2.0 claims to be an independent hacker, but US intelligence says "with high confidence" that it was in fact GRU, Russian Military Intel Service simply operating under the alias "Guccifer 2.0", with the specific aim to help Donald Trump get elected president. The email from Guccifer 2.0 is dated from June 15, 2016, when Roger Stone was still officially a member of the Trump campaign. Attached in TSG's long article about Roger Stone was an email from "Guccifer 2.0" purportedly to Stone himself. Nowhere in the email does it say "Roger Stone", but TSG's article also contained an IRS tax document with Roger Stone's name on it. This does not mean that the email from Guccifer 2.0 is authentically addressed to Roger Stone, but TSG does have a leak that provided official correspondence between Stone and the American Government, ie the IRS (Internal Revenue Service). If this email is truly from Russian hackers to an official member of Donald Trump's election campaign, it would be very, very damning. Photo source: The Smoking Gun. (Others) × WION contacted TSG to ask about the source of the leak, and for proof that the email from Guccifer 2.0 was indeed mailed to Roger Stone. So far they have not responded, and we will update the article if they do. Why would this email prove? If this email is truly from Guccifer 2.0 to Roger Stone, it means that an official Trump campaign member was in communication with the Russian government, and worked with them as they interfered with the US election on Trump's behalf. Before, it was clear that Russia hacked the Democrats, who then sent emails to WikiLeaks. In fact, the first time WikiLeaks published the Democrat's emails was on October 7, just hours after the recording leaked of Trump saying, "Grab them by the p*ssy". But there was no proof that Trump worked directly with Russia, or with WikiLeaks. That changed days ago when the same Roger Stone took to Twitter to say he had a "perfectly legal back channel with WikiLeaks" and also said, "Assange does NOT work for Russians and nobody has proved otherwise". Actually, Stone has admitted to being in "direct contact" with Julian Assange himself. Essentially, the Trump campaign did have open communication with WikiLeaks. Listen to "long time Trump advisor" Roger Stone here... sure seems to know what Assange (Russia) had in store: pic.twitter.com/EclA0jpXIU — justin kanew (@justin_kanew) March 5, 2017 × It may be noteworthy that WikiLeaks was responsible for the biggest ever leak of secret CIA documents, and it came amid Trump's ongoing war with US intelligence, and just days after Stone admitted to having a channel of communication with WikiLeaks. Here is Trump encouraging Russia to hack Clinton's emails: While Russia's interference in the US election may constitute an act of war between the countries, this doesn't necessarily reflect on President Trump. But if the Guccifer 2.0-Stone email is confirmed, it proves that the exact same aide in Trump's campaign was in contact with not just WikiLeaks but with the Russian Military Intelligence Service, the very people who hacked the Democrats. Does anything else suggest Russia and Trump are connected? Jeff Sessions recused himself from the US intelligence's investigation into the Trump-Russia connection after it emerged that he at least twice met the Russian ambassador, Sergey Kislyak, and lied about it under oath. Shortly after Sessions met Kislyak at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland last summer, the Republican Party changed the language in their policy to become more aligned with Russia. Former Trump aide JD Gordon just claimed this alignment was on the insistence of Donald Trump himself. Historically, Jeff Sessions has been decidedly anti-Russia. It was also just reported that Donald Trump himself met the Russian ambassador and lied about it. Other members of his administration or his campaign who have done the same include: National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, Carter Page, Paul Manafort, JD Gordon, and as mentioned Jeff Sessions. Trump's son-in-law and White House adviser Jared Kushner also met Kislyak, but after the election. Flynn had to resign from his position as the head of national security after The Washington Post reported that not only did Flynn lie about meeting with the Russian ambassador, but that he called Kislyak repeatedly the day Obama levelled sanctions against Russia to discuss those sanctions. The phone calls were recordedm as per ordinary US intelligence protocol. From the report, which cited nine senior officials in US intelligence: "All of those officials said Flynn's reference to the election-related sanctions were explicit." The notorious Christopher Steele dossier alleges that Putin, the former head of Russia's spy agency, has enough information over Trump to blackmail him. That dossier contains allegations that are false, mostly slight error about inessential items. But more and more of it is being corroborated. Trump has many links with Russia, and has had them for decades. Trump dismisses his alleged connection to Russia as Fake News. It's a real possibility that this email is not what it claims to be. But Trump is definitely lying about aspects of his connection to Russia. It would be funny if the stakes weren't so high, but here is Trump denying he knows Vladimir Putin, while also bragging about his personal relationship with Putin. (WION)

Trump campaign communicated with Russian hackers during election, claims report

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