On March 20th, a train derailment near Cincinnati, Ohio spilled thousands of gallons of toxic chemicals, sparking an environmental crisis. Soon after, pro-Russian accounts on Twitter began to spread false claims and anti-American propaganda. The accounts, believed to be parroting Kremlin talking points, alleged, without evidence, that authorities were lying about the full impact of the accident.

The accounts attempted to use the verification system of tech mogul Elon Musk to expand their reach and gain credibility. It has been suggested that this was an effort to use the disaster to sow discord and undermine the public trust in U.S. institutions.

Russian president Vladimir Putin met with Russia’s top command over their military operations in Ukraine the same day. Putin faces an arrest warrant for a number of war crimes, though the connection between his visit and the Ohio derailment is still unknown.

Bel Trew, The Independent