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

RS3634

Incident date

April 30, 2019

Location

عابدين, Abdin, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

One or two civilians, including a woman, died and up to three others were wounded in alleged Russian or Syrian regime air and/or artillery strikes on Abdin, Idlib governorate, on April 30th, 2019, local media reported.

Local sources reported that a woman was killed and others were injured when Abdin, south of Idlib, was struck by rockets and artillery shells. Saray Arabic was among several sources putting the death toll at two civilians.

Al Souria reported two killed and three wounded in alleged regime airstrikes on Abdin and Arinbeh but did not specify how many civilian casualties fell in Abdin.

Mohamed Belass posted a video of an interview with Osama Al Shami, a resident of the village, who said: “The beginning was with rockets attack and suddenly the helicopters were present. It was a heavy blow and a bomb. There is a woman martyr and people fled from the shelling. It was painful and tragic.” The Syrian Network for Human Rights named Hala Fares Al Hazza as the killed woman.

Shaam News Network, who blamed both Russia and the regime, published two distressing videos of interviews with survivors. In the first video, a weeping woman says: “When the strike came, we were in the cave. All the members of the Rashidi family were in the cave, except my sister. The plane bombed us. My uncle says that my sister was hit by shrapnel. And they said she died.”

A man from the village says: “We were at home and we heard a helicopter. We ran away. The helicopter hit the house of Abdul Karim and my house and my son’s house.”

In the second Shaam video, a woman is running among the rubble of destroyed homes, crying: “Where are they?”

An older woman is then interviewed. She says: “I am an old woman who can not move, so I could not escape when the shelling came. There were two or three strikes around me and part of the house fell down, but my father-in-law came and drove me out of the rubble after the shelling ended.”

According to @Wesal_TV, several homes were destroyed in the shelling.

While some sources blamed Russia, others blamed the explosive barrels dropped from Syrian regime helicopters. Al Etihad Press reported that Abdin had also been targeted with sea-borne artillery.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–3
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (30) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (9) [ collapse]

  • Smoke circles up from the town of Abdin in Idlib after it was struck by alleged Russian airstrikes on April 30th, according to Syria.liveuamap.
  • Barrel bombs falls on Abdin, April 30th.
  • Translation: "Watch the Russian Asadi enemy demolish the houses of civilians over the heads of its inhabitants in the town of Abdin countryside # Idlib South"
  • The aftermath of strikes on Abdin, April 30th.
  • A resident of the village reported on the rocket attakc on Abdin village on April 30th (via Mohamed Belass).
  • Video showing a woman crying amidst the rubble caused by alleged Syrian or Russian airstrikes on Abdin on April 30th (via Shaam).
  • Video showing a woman running among the rubble of destroyed houses in Abdin after the town was struck by alleged Syrian or Russian airstrikes on April 30th (via Shaam).
  • Translation: "watch the shelling of the village of Abidin, south of Idlib, and the destruction it caused" (via Step News Agency).
  • Photo of alleged Russian or Syrian regime strikes on Abdin on April 30th, 2019 (via Arabi21).

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime 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 – 2
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–3
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (30) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3633

Incident date

April 30, 2019

Location

الحويجة, Al Hawaija, Hama, Syria

Airwars assessment

One civilian died and another was injured in alleged Russian or Syrian regime air and/or artillery strikes on Al Hawaija, Hama governorate, on April 30th, 2019, according to local media. Most sources blamed regime artillery for the civilian harm but there were also allegations that Russia carried out airstrikes.

Local sources reported heavy artillery shelling in several villages in Hama and Idlib. “A large number of civilians” were reportedly killed and injured in these raids. HalabTodayTV claimed that one civilian was injured in the village of Al Hawaija.

The Syrian Civil Defence and several other sources said that a young man was wounded. @SyriaCivilDefe wrote that a man was injured in Syrian regime airstrikes on civilian houses, adding that the “Civil Defense team rushed to the scene and transferred the young man for treatment.”

Syrianoor blamed three regime helicopters for the strikes, whereas other sources, such as Sy-24, pointed to Russian warplanes.

Qasioun reported that “on Tuesday morning, 30 April 2019, a civilian was killed and a number of wounded were wounded by a bombardment by the regime forces.” Smart News, however, reported that the incident occurred around noon.

The incident occured around midday.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (22) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • A man is helped into an ambulance after being wounded in an alleged regime strike on Al Hawaija, April 30th.
  • The aftermath of a strike on Al Hawaija, April 30th.
  • Syrian Civil Defence volunteers helping an injured man after alleged Russian or Syrian regime strikes on Al Hawaija, Hama governorate, on April 30th, 2019 (via @SyriaCivilDefe).
  • Syrian Civil Defence volunteer in the aftermath of alleged Russian or Syrian regime strikes on Al Hawaija, Hama governorate, on April 30th, 2019 (via @AishaSapri).

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime 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
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (22) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3632

Incident date

April 30, 2019

Location

كفرناها, Kafar Naha, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

Civilians were reported wounded after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on Kafar Naha on April 30th, 2019, according to local sources.

According to Shaam News Network, Russian jets carried out raids in the area of Khan Al Asal and Kafar Naha. The source reported wounded but did not provide more details. Aletihad Press also reported civilian casualties but did not specify how many civilians were wounded.

@AsadFahaam said that strikes targeted vehicles belonging to Al Nusra front.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Other

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • An airstrike hits Kafar Naha, April 30th 2019 (via Aletihadpress)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Other

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3631

Incident date

April 30, 2019

Location

خان العسل, Khan Al A’sal, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

At least one civilian died and four more were wounded in alleged Russia or Assad regime strikes on Khan Al A’sal, according to sources on the ground.

The Shaam News reported that Russian military aircrafts carried out raids in the area of Khan al-Asal and Kafar Naha. The source reported wounded civilians but did not provide further more details.

According to Euphrates Post, “Russian warplanes targeted the Al-Rashidin area and the vicinity of Al-Sharq factory in the town of Khan al-Asal”.

AA news put the death toll at one with four more wounded and blamed Russia. Alsouria gave the same figures but attributed them to the regime.

@syriamylove9 noted the “martyrdom of a family displaced from Homs” but gave no further details.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 5
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • An airstrike hits Khan Al A’sal, Aleppo, April 30th 2019 (via AAnews)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 5
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3630

Incident date

April 29, 2019

Location

الحواش, Al Hawwash, Hama, Syria

Airwars assessment

Civilians were wounded in alleged Russia or regime air or artillery strikes on Al Hawwash, local media reported.

Halab Today TV, reported that an unknown number of civilians were injured in a Russian airstrike on the village of Hawwash in the western suburb of Hama.

However, a number of other sources blamed barrel bombing by the Assad regime. According to Horrya, “Assad’s forces targeted the houses of civilians in the village of Hawash, west of Hama, injuring three civilians from one family”

@Wesal_TV tweeted a video showing “a young Syrian documenting horrific moments from inside his house with his family, during the bombing with explosive barrel on the village of Hawash.”

Smart added that the barrel bombing led to the “main road of the plain of Al-Ghab to be cut off. ”

Aletihadpress said that 10 explosive barrels were dropped by the regime.

 

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
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–3
  • 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 (13) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–3
  • 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 (13) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3629

Incident date

April 28, 2019

Location

البشيرية, Al Bashiriya, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

Local media reported that two children were wounded in alleged Russian airstrikes with vacuum rockets on the town of Al Bashiriya in Idlib.

EdlibEmc1 posted “Two children were injured as a result the targeting by the Russian occupation warplanes of the town of Al Bashiriya west of Idlib with concussion missiles.”

No further details are currently available.

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
    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 Military

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • An alleged Russian airstrike hits Al Bashriya, April 28th (via EdlibEMC1)
  • An alleged Russian airstrike hits Al Bashriya, April 28th (via EdlibEMC1)
  • A wounded child is rescued from Al Bashriya on April 28th following an alleged Russian airstrike on the town (via JMC)
  • A reported Russian airstrike hits Al Bashiriya, Idlib, April 28th (via Syriapost 3)

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military 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 Military

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3628

Incident date

April 27–28, 2019

Location

قلعة المضيق, Qal’et Al Madiq in Sahl Al Ghab, Hama, Syria

Airwars assessment

Between three and seven civilians including up to five women died and as many as 10 more non-combatants were wounded in alleged Russian or regime airstrikes on different locations in Qal’et Al Madiq in Sahl Al Ghab on the night of April 27th, local media reported. While the majority of sources blamed Russia, one source – Al Haall – pointed to the regime, while Daily Sabah said that an unidentified plane was responsible.

Local Coordination Committees of Syria put the death toll at three – though several other sources said that as many as five people had died – all of them women, according to one report by the White Helmets.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, who also put the death toll at threem said that “Russian warplanes carried out four raids on places in Qal’aat al-Madiq”.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights published multiple reports in which it said that the following locations were struck:

  1. 111 Women and Children Specialist” Hospital in the al Shamali neighborhood – “severely damaging its building and equipment. As a result, the hospital went out of service, on April 28”.
  2. The Education Directorate building in the al Shamali neighborhood – “severely destroying its building and damaging its equipment and furniture, on April 28.”
  3. A complex of schools: Fawaz Haj Hussein Primary School, Akram Ali Secondary School and Akram Ali High School in the al Shamali neighborhood – “partially damaging the schools, on April 28”.
  4. The ‘33102 Center of Civil Defense’ in the middle of Qal’at al Madiq
  5. 5. Grain silos in Qal’et al-Mideq, west of Hama, “with airstrikes with space and cluster missiles”.

The Network reported that only the strike on the civil defense centre had resulted in civilian harm – referring to “a massacre”. In a separate posting it said that “five civilians most of whom are from the same family, including a woman, were killed as fixed-wing warplanes we believe were Russian fired missiles on the middle of Qal’at al Madiq town in Hama governorate western suburbs, on April 28.”

The White Helmets put the death toll at five, reporting that the “five martyrs” included “a disabled woman and her disabled young son, in addition to several other injuries.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (4)

The victims were named as:

Abd al-Bari Khaled al-Yasouf عبد الباري خالد اليسوف
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Healthcare facility, School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 7
  • (1 child1–5 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–15
  • 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 (40) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • The White Helmets attend the scene of an alleged Russian airstrike on Qal'et al Madiq in Sahl Al Ghab (via SN4HR)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on the Education Directorate in Qal'et al Madiq in Sahl Al Ghab, Apr 28th (via SN4HR)
  • A civilian is removed from the ruins of buildings following an airstrike on Qal’et Al Madiq in Sahl Al Ghab, April 27th.

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Healthcare facility, School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 7
  • (1 child1–5 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–15
  • 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 (40) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3627

Incident date

April 27, 2019

Location

Al Latamnah, Hama, Syria

Airwars assessment

Hamah Now reported that “a civilian was injured by Russian air strikes on the town of Al Latamina, north of Hama.”

Multiple other sources reported Russian strikes on the city.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that it had “monitored more Russian air strikes in the town of Al Latamina in the northern suburbs of Hama, where Russian helicopters fired two missiles each on, after Russian warplanes had targeted the town with four air raids”

According to Step, there had been “a bombardment with rocket launchers from the Russian camp south of Halfaya city targets the town of Al Latamina”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery, Naval bombardment
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (9) [ collapse]

  • Translation: 'A third Russian raid on the city of Al Latamina,'
  • Translation: 'Russian warplanes targeted the outskirts of the city of Al Latamina in the northern suburbs of Hama with air raids.'
  • Translation: 'Russian warplanes targeting the vicinity of the city of Al Latamina in the northern suburbs of Hama'
  • 'Russian warplanes bombard the city of Al Latamina in the countryside of Hama'
  • 'Air raid of Russian Aggression on the outskirts of the city of Al Latamina in the countryside of Hama'
  • 'The first moments of the air raids targeting residential neighborhoods in the city of Al-Latamina'
  • Russian raid on the city of Al Latamna on April 27th, 2019. (via @4Moq3mep7QbgEdT)
  • Russian raid on the city of Al Latamna on April 27th, 2019. (via @4Moq3mep7QbgEdT)
  • Russian warplanes targeted the outskirts of the city of Al Latamna in the northern suburbs of Hama, with air raids on April 27th, 2019 (via @IdlibPlus).

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery, Naval bombardment
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]