Russian Military in Syria

Russian Military in Syria

A Russian combat aircraft at Khmeimim airbase in Syria being prepared for action. (Russian Ministry of Defence)

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Russian military
Country
Syria
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Civilian deaths alleged
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Incident Code

R3883

Incident date

Location

معرة النعمان, Ma’arat Al Nu’man, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

One civilian was killed in an explosion of remnants of an unexploded cluster bomb, that was dropped earlier by alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime warplanes in the city of Ma’aret Al Numan, on October 20th, as reported by several local sources. It is unclear when the bomb was dropped.

Justice Organisation identified the man as Najm Deep Al Asfar (Abu Diab) and stated on Facebook that the incident occurred in the southern neighbourhood of the city.

The Syrian Network of Human Rights commented on the incident by stating on Facebook that they have previously highlighted that remnants of weapons pose a threat to civilians and that special equipment is needed to help civilians remove explosive remnants.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Armed Forces, Syrian Regime Armed Forces

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The body of Najm Deeb Al Asfar, who was killed in an explosion of remnants of a cluster bomb on October 20th, 2019, that was left earlier in an alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime airstrike on Ma’arat Al Nu’man (via Justice Organisation on Facebook).
  • Photo of Najm Deeb Al Asfar, who was killed in an explosion of remnants of a cluster bomb on October 20th, 2019, that was left earlier in an alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime airstrike on Ma’arat Al Nu’man (via SNHR on Facebook).

Russian Armed Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Armed Forces
  • Russian Armed Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Syrian Regime Armed Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime Armed Forces
  • Syrian Regime Armed Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Armed Forces, Syrian Regime Armed Forces

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

R3998

Incident date

Location

بلشون, Balchoun, Mount Zawia, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

Two men was reportedly wounded in an alleged Russian airstrike on Balchoun, Mount Zawia, Idlib governorate, on December 7th, 2019, according to IdlibPlus.

Currently, further information is unavailable to Airwars.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Armed Forces

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Russian Armed Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Armed Forces
  • Russian Armed Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Armed Forces

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

R3871

Incident date

Location

كفرنبل, Kafr Nabil, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

A single source claimed that a civilian was killed and another wounded due to artillery and rocket shelling by the Syrian regime and Russian forces on residential neighborhoods in Kafr Nabil, struck from camp in Al-Nimr hill near Khan Sheikhoun.

No other details are known at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attackers
    Syrian Regime Armed Forces, Russian Armed Forces

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    One of the victims of an alleged Russian or Syrian airstrike on a residential neighborhood in Kafr Nabil on August 31st (via Baladi News).

Syrian Regime Armed Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime Armed Forces
  • Syrian Regime Armed Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Russian Armed Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Armed Forces
  • Russian Armed Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attackers
    Syrian Regime Armed Forces, Russian Armed Forces

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

R3881

Incident date

Location

معرزيتا, Ma’ar Zieta, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

Several civilians were wounded and civilian property was significantly damaged in an alleged Russian airstrike on the town of Ma’ar Zieta, Idlib governorate, on October 19th, 2019, as reported by several local sources.

Shaam Network reported that “activists said that Russian warplanes bombed the town of Ma`ar zieta this morning with several raids, recording several wounded and significant destruction in civilian homes, coinciding with the continued artillery and rocket shelling by the regime in the region”.

The incident occured in the morning.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Armed Forces

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Alleged Russian airstrike on the village of Ma’ar Zieta, Idlib governorate, on October 19th 2019 (via MMC on Facebook).

Russian Armed Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Armed Forces
  • Russian Armed Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Armed Forces

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

R3969

Incident date

Location

قرية حاس, Haas village, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

Between five and ten civilians including two children and two women were reported injured in an alleged Russian airstrike on Has village in Idlib, Syria on December 1st, 2019 according to local sources.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–10
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Armed Forces

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Russian Armed Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Armed Forces
  • Russian Armed Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–10
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Armed Forces

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

R3970

Incident date

Location

بلدة تل كرسيان, Tal Karseean, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

Two civilians were reported killed in an alleged Russian forces or Syrian regime airstrike on Tal Karseean in Idlib – Syria on December 1st, 2019 according to local sources.

According to Syrian Network for Human Rights, Ibrahim Mohammad al Hussein and Sayyed Hasan al Hussein were killed in the attack.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Armed Forces, Syrian Regime Armed Forces

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Civil Defense moving casualties from an alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on Tal Karseean in Idlib. (via SN4HR)

Russian Armed Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Armed Forces
  • Russian Armed Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Syrian Regime Armed Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime Armed Forces
  • Syrian Regime Armed Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Armed Forces, Syrian Regime Armed Forces

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

R3901

Incident date

Location

عين العصافير,, Ain Al Asafir, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

Local Coordination Committees of Syria reported that Russian warplanes bombed “the houses of civilians in the villages of Kfir, Ein Al-Asafir”.

Airwars does not currently have any figures of civilian harm relating to this bombing.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Armed Forces

Russian Armed Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Armed Forces
  • Russian Armed Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Armed Forces

Incident Code

RS001

Incident date

September 30, 2015

Location

الزعفرانة, Za`faranah, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.71562, 36.4628 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Geolocation accuracy

Town

Airwars assessment

Fifteen non-combatants were reported killed at the village of Za`faranah in Russia’s first wave of airstrikes in support of the Syrian regime.

According to the Syrian state-run news agency SANA, Russian warplanes targeted “ISIS dens” in al-Rastan, Talbiseh and Zafaraniya in Homs province; Al-Tilol al-Hmer, in Qunaitra province; Aydoun, a village on the outskirts of the town of Salamiya; Deer Foul, between Hama and Homs; and the outskirts of Salmiya.”

At Za`faranah, according to SN4HR, 15 civilians were killed “including two children and five women.” Following a field investigation the Violations Documentation Centre also put the death toll at fifteen.

Citing an eyewitness, VDC noted; “Two attacks were launched on the southern entrance to the village, specifically on four adjacent civilian houses.There were neither military locations nor an ISIS presence in the targeted area. Unfortunately, fourteen civilians, many unidentified, were instantly killed and more than thirty others were injured in the two strikes. Following this, at 10:00 am, warplanes targeted the area of al-Makramiah, south-west of Zaafaraneh village. As a result, a young man was killed and eight civilians were injured. On that day, the air strikes did not stop, they continued targeting the southern part of the village at about 11:00 am, causing injury to eight more people.”

Nine of the victims were named by VDC.

Russian media made no mention of civilian casualties – with TASS referring only to “pinpoint airstrikes” against what were described as ‘ISIS targets.’

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    15
  • (2 children5 women3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    46
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Armed Forces

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (8) [ collapse]

  • Destruction caused at Za`faranah. (via Activist Anas Abu Adnan /VDC)
  • Searching for victims at Za`faranah, (via Activist Anas Abu Adnan /VDC)
  • Following the alleged Russian strike at Za`faranah, Sept 30th 2015 (via Activist Anas Abu Adnan/VDC)
  • Rescuers seartch for victims of the alleged Russian strike at Za`faranah, Sept 30th 2015 (via Activist Anas Abu Adnan/VDC)
  • Activist Anas Abu Adnan captures moment of an Russian airstrike on al Za'afarana Sept 30th 2015 (via VDC)
  • Footage of an airstrike on Za`faranah, Sept 30th. (via Минобороны России)
  • Image showing the aftermath of the alleged Russian shelling at Al Zaafarana on 30th September 2015, Source Baladi News

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic footage of an injured child in the aftermath of the alleged Russian raid. (via talbisa h)

Russian Armed Forces Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Armed Forces
  • Russian Armed Forces position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Russian Armed Forces
Official source

The Russian MoD has confirmed carrying out airstrikes on September 30th 2015, though did not give precise locations: “Today the Russian aviation, which was located at the Syrian airfield Hmeymim, performed high accuracy strikes against international terrorist organization ISIS. The attack jets with modern armament hit eight facilities, including munition, armament and POL storages, combat vehicles, command and communication posts. All targets have been successfully engaged. The pilots completely destroyed HQ and coordination centers of the ISIS troops located in the mountains.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    15
  • (2 children5 women3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    46
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Armed Forces

Sources (11) [ collapse]