[4] As the Russian forces gradually captured most of the city, the 36th Separate Marine Brigade entrenched itself within the Illich Steel and Iron Works.

In the night between 11 and 12 April, the brigade attempted a breakout, as a result of which some 500 marines managed to link up with Ukrainian forces present in Azovstal iron and steel works, while an unknown number were killed or captured and over a thousand, including some 400 wounded, were taken prisoner when Russian forces seized the Illich steel plant on the following day.

[5][6][7] Afterwards, the whereabouts of Colonel Baraniuk became unknown, with Major Serhiy Volynskyi assuming command of the remnants of the brigade besieged in the Azovstal plant.

[9] On 8 May 2022, Baraniuk appeared alive in an interview with RT, proving previous reports of his death to be false.

It was stated that he had been captured in a field a few kilometers north of Mariupol, together with his chief of staff, Colonel Dmytro Kormiankov (who also appeared in the interview), and a number of his men.