A video reportedly showing 267 members of the Ukrainian marines surrendering in Mariupol has gone viral on social media in the first alleged footage of a major Ukrainian surrender. 

Ukraine has kept the information flow under strict control since the start of the Russian invasion, and footage of Ukrainian military defeats is rare outside pro-Russian channels. 

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy asked the Ukrainian media to inform the public more actively about the success of the armed forces and the losses of the enemy on February 24, in order to keep optimism high.

Videos of surrendered and captured Russian soldiers are frequently shared on social media by pro-Ukrainian accounts to help boost morale.

However, the authenticity of the Mariupol footage has been called into question after Ukraine’s 503rd Marine Battalion officially denied the allegation that its marines had surrendered to Russia. 

On Twitter, pro-Ukrainian accounts accuse Russia of spreading disinformation designed to demoralise Ukrainians. 

An account belonging to former Navy Seal Chuck Pfarrer wrote: “Russian sources claim that 267 Ukrainian Marines have surrendered in Mariupol, and they have the video. But the uniforms are too clean. Nobody is wounded. No one needs a shave, & the t-shirts are all wrong.”

Pfarrer includes an image detailing what he believes are inconsistencies. 

 

In response to Pfarrer, the account @CossackGundi, a British national who is a member of the Ukrainian marines based in Mariupol, confirmed that the surrender is real, but claims it shows the 501st Battalion, not the 503rd. 

 

Others, including Kyiv Independent journalist Illia Ponomarenko, point to the fact Mariupol has been surrounded by Russian forces for over a month, cutting the city off from supplies. As such, a surrender from Ukrainian troops who have run out of ammo or food is not surprising.

“Ukrainian marines that reportedly surrendered in Mariupol have been outnumbered and outgunned, fighting in a besieged city amid relentless destruction. Getting out of strength, water, food, ammo. For nearly 40 days. They have done 500% of what one could reasonably expect”, Ponomareknko tweeted on April 4.

Although the eastern port city still remains under Ukrainian control, Russian forces have damaged 90% of the infrastructure and caused a humanitarian crisis. The number of dead is unknown, but Ukraine estimates 5,000 civilians have been killed.

The Mariupol Council announced that currently “at least $10bn” will be needed to restore the city’s infrastructure.

Last week, Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Economics Yulia Svyridenko announced that the whole of Ukraine has lost a total of $565bn since the start of the Russian invasion, which includes $112bn in damaged infrastructure.