Russia confirmed that the ship sank but said only that it had been damaged by “heavy storms” and a fire that caused ammunition on board to detonate. On April 14, the Russian defense ministry said all crew members were evacuated. The authorities have not confirmed any dead or wounded.

But several families are now contradicting this claim in Russian media reports and on social media. Social media groups uniting mothers of Russian soldiers deployed in Ukraine are filling up with photos and pleas from parents looking for their missing sons.

On Monday, at least four families shared pictures of sailors who the families say served on the sunken ship and have been not been heard from since the incident.

“Please join our search for the Moskva sailors!” reads one message on a Vkontakte message board. “Family members, please talk to your sons, perhaps someone saw the guys at the time of the evacuation, or you were near on the cruiser itself or you are currently with them in a hospital?”