Russian Military in Syria

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

Belligerent
Russian Military
Country
Syria
start date
end date
Civilian Harm Status
Belligerent Assessment
Declassified Documents
Infrastructure

Incident Code

RS335

Incident date

December 31, 2015

Location

مخيم عابدين للنازحين, A'bedeen camp for IDPs, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.4681522, 36.5376978 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Five civilians were killed and 20 wounded in an alleged Russian airstrike on A’bedeen camp for displaced people, according to the Shaam News Network.

The White Helmets told SNN that the shelling hit a large number of tents, scattering their contents across the site.

They added that firefighters and ambulance teams attended the scene and transported the injured to medical points.

SNN concluded their report by saying that the camp has been bombed many times.

 

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    20
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Fuad Shaker al-Satouf, killed by an alleged Russian raid. (via, VDC)

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia does not appear to have published a strike summary for December 30th-31st 2015.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    20
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS367

Incident date

January 11, 2016

Location

حوش الصالحية, Al Hoash, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.51471, 36.4654 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Four to five civilians were killed – and many wounded – in alleged Russian airstrikes on the town of Al Hoash Al Salhiya, according to the Shaam News Network.

SNN referred to the incident as “a new massacre to be added to the series of daily massacres committed by the Russian aggression in the cities and towns of eastern Ghouta“.

Activists told the Network that the Russian airforce targeted the town with six high-explosive rockets which landed on civilian homes, killing four and  wounding many others.

The report concluded by noting that “the Marj region saw a day of violent clashes between Assad’s forces and factions Gervo turf operations ended with the rebels on several farms and killed more than two dozen of the elements of Assad’s forces.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Adult male VDC notes they were killed by Syrian Regime forces killed
Adult male VDC notes they were killed by Syrian Regime forces killed
Adult male VDC notes they were killed by Syrian Regime forces killed
Bilal Ghannoum
Age unknown named by Syria2011 killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (3 men)
  • 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 Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • The White Helmets place a body in an ambulance after an alleged Russian airstrike on Al Houash. (via, The White Helmets)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Khaled Qallaa, killed by an alleged Russian and Syrian Regime raid. (via, VDC)

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has not reported any strikes between 11-15 January.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (3 men)
  • 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 Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS399

Incident date

January 16, 2016

Location

حيان, Hayyan, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.32417, 37.05886 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians were reported killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Hayyan, according to the Shaam News Network.

SNN said that 10 civilians were killed in airstrikes on the cities and towns of the northern countryside of Aleppo since Saturday morning: four in Ma’arsta al-Khan, two in Hayyan, two in Tal Rifaat and two in Tamoura, in addition to dozens wounded.

The White Helmets published a video showing their teams rescuing victims “after Russian raids“, but did not provide any further information.

Alburaq Media Institution also posted a video showing the aftermath of what they said was a Russian strike. Testimony on camera says: “The Russian warplanes targeted the town of Hayyan which resulted in two deaths, a man and a woman, and as you can see here the targets were civilian homes, there is no presence of Daesh or FSA here, only civilians.”

Aleppo Media Centre and Tel Rifaat@Reefhalab also alleged that Russia was responsible.

These victims were also named by Mare’e Media Office and @abualghorabaa, though neither source said who was responsible for the “shelling“.

They were also named by Damascus Center for Human Rights, but they said that they were killed by “indiscriminate shelling of the Russian airline“.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Adult female killed
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 woman)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Footage of the aftermath of the incident showing the devastation to the local infrastructure and a civilian causality. (via, The White Helmets)
  • An interview with a local civilian talking about the alleged Russian raid on Hayyan. (via, Al Burqa Media Institution)
  • More footage showing the damage to the infrastructure and civilian homes. (via, Aleppo Media Centre)

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Russian Military

In its report for military actions on January 19 2016, the Kremlin reports carrying out strikes in Aleppo governorate: “In the course of the last four days, aircraft of the Russian air group in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 157 combat sorties engaging 579 objects of terrorists’ infrastructure in the provinces of Aleppo, Raqqah, Latakia, Homs, Hama and Deir ez-Zor.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 woman)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS431

Incident date

January 21, 2016

Location

محيميدة, Mahimideh, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

35.44294, 40.08619 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One adult male was killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Mahimideh according to local sources.

Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently reported that a Russian raid destroyed a house and that there were “many injuries“, though deaths were not mentioned.

According to ANA Press, Russia warplanes “stepped up raids on the western countryside of Deir ez Zor“, killing 15 civilians and injuring dozens more. They said that there had been strikes on Mahimideh as part of this assault, though did not provide casualty numbers for this location.

The victim was also named by The Centre for Studies and Human Rights and SHRC, though they did not say who carried out the raids.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Russian Military

No Russian reports were published for January 21st 2016.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS465

Incident date

January 26, 2016

Location

دير الزور, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

35.3353632, 40.1380348 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One adult male civilian, died in an alleged Russian airstrike on Deir-ez Zor, according to the Violations Documentation Centre and the Syrian Network for Human Rights.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

42 years old male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • 'Yasser Al Ali, age 42, from Deir Ez-Zour city, died in suspected Russian warplanes missiles fired on Deir Ez-Zour city, January 26 2016.' (via SN4HR)

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Russian Military

In its military report published on 1st February 2016, the Kremlin said: “In the course of the last week, the Russian aircraft in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 468 combat sorties engaging 1354 terrorists’ infrastructural facilities in the Aleppo, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Damascus, Raqqah, Daraa and Deir ez-Zor provinces. Among them – 24 ones were carried out by Tu-22M3 long-range bombers from the Russian territory...Long-range bomber aviation aircraft supported units of the Syrian governmental troops which defended the city of Deir ez-Zor. The airstrikes carried out by Tu-22M3 bombers from the territory of the Russian Federation jointly with tactical aviation from the Hmeymim airbase, engaged 23 important terrorists’ objects in that district. The attempt of terrorists to assault Deir ez-Zor was frustrated.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS497

Incident date

January 29, 2016

Location

مارع, Mare', Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.482582, 37.19593 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Five civilians including two children were killed and up to 40 injured in alleged Russian airstrikes on Mare’, according to local sources.

According to the White Helmets, the town was targeted with four cluster bombs and then with two vacuum missiles, resulting in the death of three and the injury of 15 others, “most of them in a critical condition“. The White Helmets did not say who was responsible for the incidents.

However, the Shaam News Network blamed Russia for carrying out five airstrikes on civilian homes. Activists told SNN that raids targeted the city with five rockets, four of them containing cluster bombs. This reportedly happened at the time of Friday prayers, killing at least three and injuring more than 40 because the clusters bombs “spread over large areas within the city’s neighbourhoods.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Adult male killed

The victims were named as:

Child female killed
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (2 children1 woman2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    15–40
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • A member of the White Helmets examines the remains of a cluster bomb fired on Mare', 29th January 2016. (via White Helmets)

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Russian Military

In its military report published on 1st February 2016, the Kremlin said: “In the course of the last week, the Russian aircraft in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 468 combat sorties engaging 1354 terrorists’ infrastructural facilities in the Aleppo, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Damascus, Raqqah, Daraa and Deir ez-Zor provinces. Among them – 24 ones were carried out by Tu-22M3 long-range bombers from the Russian territory…Near Jeb Ghabishah (Aleppo province), a Su-24M bomber destroyed ammunition and POL storages of the ISIS terrorists.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (2 children1 woman2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    15–40
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS533

Incident date

February 3, 2016

Location

تلبيسة, Talbisah, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.840505, 36.72922 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The Violations Documentation Center named one child, Isra Rabei Yehya, age 16, as killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Talbiseh.

Talbisa posted a video depicting her funeral, but did not say who was responsible, with the speaker in the video referring only to “manic bombing by warplanes“.

The Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies listed Isra as a victim, as well as a man named Ahmed Kurdi. The Center reported that both were killed by “indiscriminate shelling” from Russian planes.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

16 years old male Named by VDC killed
Ahmed Kurdi
Adult male Named by Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 child1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Prayers are said over a civilian casualty following an alleged Russian airstrike on Talbiseh, Feb 3rd.

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has published no known record of strikes in Syria from February 1st – February 3rd.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 child1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS566

Incident date

February 8, 2016

Location

الصالحين, Salheen (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1807607, 37.167263 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between 10 and 20 civilians including four to five children and three women were killed – and between 20 and 30 others injured – in alleged Russian airstrikes on Salheen according to local sources.

Shaam News Network initially reported that Russian warplanes “carried out a massacre” in the Salheen neighbourhood, killing 10 civilians and injuring many others. Activists told SNN that Russian forces fired two missiles, one of which hit a bus. A later report put the death toll higher at 16.

According to Orient News, a Russian raid targeted “transport buses, carrying civilians, resulting in the burning of the vehicles and the martyrdom of the inside, and seriously  injuring passers-by“. It said 20 non-combatants died.

Smart reported: “Our correspondent says that the warplanes are believed to be Russian, and bombed a main street in the neighborhood, featuring a market for street vendors, killing 16 civilians and wounding seven others, including children, leaving devastation in buildings, shops and property of civilians.

LCCSY, Baladi, Shahba Press and Step News agency also attributed the incident to Russia.

The White Helmets said 10 died, most of them women and childred – and 20 others were wounded –  in a raid that targeted a passing car, but did not say who the “warplane” responsible belonged to.

An initial report by the Syrian Network for Human Rights blamed the Assad regime, saying that at least seven non-combatants died. However, in a subsequent report it changed  position: “alleged Russian warplanes shelled Al Saleheen neighborhood in Aleppo city which killed 16 individuals including 5 children and a woman. Thirty others were injured.

Eight victims were named by the Violations Documentation Cente.

Plus one unidentified female child – Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies (who said Russia was responsible) also named an unidentified female child and said that she was two months old.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Child female Named by VDC killed
Adult male Named by VDC killed
Adult female Named by VDC killed
Adult female Named by VDC killed
Adult male Named by VDC killed
Child female Named by VDC killed
Child female Named by VDC killed
Adult male Named by VDC killed
Joud Hussein Debs
Adult female Named by Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10 – 20
  • (4–5 children3 women2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    20–30
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (15) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • The body of a man in a street in Salheen following alleged Russian airstrikes, feb 8th (via SN4HR)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The body of a child stuck under rubble following an alleged Russian raid on Salheen, February 8th (via SN4HR)
  • White Helmets after the attack (from a deleted White Helmet Facebook page)
  • Baladi News Network shows the aftermath of the strike
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A victim of the attack under the rubble (via SN4HR)
  • White helmets carrying a victims of the attack (via SN4HR)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A victim from the attack. (via SN4HR)

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Russian Military

From February 4th – February 11th, Russia reported: “In the course of the last week, February 4-11, aircraft of the Russian aviation group in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 510 combat sorties engaging 1,888 terrorists’ objects in the provinces of Aleppo, Latakia, Hama, Deir ez-Zor, Daraa, Homs, Hasakah and Raqqah.” It added: “Two powerful field commanders were liquidated in the Aleppo province.In the suburbs of Kalaz-Tahtani, a large illegal armed group with its commander, “Abu Maher” (“Farid Al-Misri”) was eliminated by an airstrike.The field commander “Abu Anas Al-Sham” from the Jaysh al-Sham terrorist group was liquidated in the territory of the same province.” It also said that “Russian aviation eliminated open ISIS oil storages in the Aleppo province.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10 – 20
  • (4–5 children3 women2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    20–30
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (15) [ collapse]