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)

Belligerent
Russian Military
Country
Syria
start date
end date
Civilian Harm Status
Belligerent Assessment
Declassified Documents
Infrastructure
text search
4807 Results
sort by:
Sort by:
Incident date
Civilian deaths alleged
Civilian deaths confirmed by belligerent

Incident Code

RS1211

Incident date

September 1, 2016

Location

Al Ghia, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.381935, 40.136107 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between three and 16 civilians died and up to 20 were wounded in alleged Russian airstrikes on Al-Giah, according to local media.

Halabnews, Islammemo_cc, Wesal_TV, Alnateq1, Zaman Masdar, Alnaba, Eldorar and HNN all attributed the event to Russia, putting the death toll at either 15 or 16 civilians.

Euphrates Post, also blaming Russia, said that three died: two children and their mother.

According to SRG, the victims of the attack were “mostly women and children”, though the source didn’t provide numbers.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 16
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • 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 (13) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia has not reported any strikes between September 1st – 30th 2016.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 16
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • 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 (13) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1204

Incident date

September 1, 2016

Location

حريتان, Hraytan, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.287032, 37.08332 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two possible civilians died in airstrikes on Hraytan, according to local media, though it was unclear whether Russia or the Syrian regime were responsible for the deaths.

Halabtoday, Syr_Rev_News and Alamawi, the Violations Documentation Center and HNN blamed Russia. Smart added that eight non-combatants were also wounded.

However, according to Alaraby the regime was to blame.

Other sources – Shehab and Step News Agency – pointed to both the regime and Russia, with Step reporting that helicopters were used along with warplanes.

There is also some doubt over the victims’ combat status: Aboodeh9068 said that the two victims were members of the “Al-Tawhid brigade”, suggesting that they may not be civilians.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Hussein Saqer
Age unknown male killed
Mahmood Kamal Masri
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 2
  • (0–2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    8
  • 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]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • The destruction on the streets of Hraytan following suspected Regime and Russian missiles (Tweet via @ShehabAgency)
  • Hussein Saqer and Mahmood Kamala Masri - the two men alleged killed in warplane shelling on Hraytan (Tweet via @abodee9068)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia has not reported any strikes between September 1st – 30th 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 2
  • (0–2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    8
  • 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

RS1205

Incident date

September 1, 2016

Location

الزعفرانة, Zafarana, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.8933447, 36.7788246 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to four civilians including a child and one woman died in airstrikes on Zafarana, according to local media – though sources were conflicted as to whether Russia or the Syrian regime were responsible for the attacks.

The majority of sources, including Yaarabaladeli9, Step News Agency, Alghad Alsoury, and NabdSyria, blamed Russia.

Baladi, also blaming Russia, put the death toll at three including one woman and a child.

According to SND, Russia used phosphorous bombs, leading to the deaths of three civilians.

One sources, Smart, attributed the event to the regime, while a number of others referred only to “warplanes”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mohammad al-Mohammad
Adult male killed
Rula Darwish
Child female killed
Ahmed Al-Shamali
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 4
  • (1 child1 woman2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–6
  • 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 (16) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia has not reported any strikes between September 1st – 30th 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 4
  • (1 child1 woman2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–6
  • 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 (16) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1212

Incident date

September 2, 2016

Location

طياني, Al Tayanneh, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

34.993798, 40.548059 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Five or six civilians including up to four children and three women died and at least a dozen more were wounded in airstrikes on Al Tayaneh, according to local media. The majority of sources attributed the event to Russia, though two blamed the Syrian regime and others didn’t apportion blame.

DeirEzzorradio, Abdulrahmanhajj and Derynews blamed Russia.

However, the Syrian Network for Human Rights, who put the death toll at five including three children and three women, said that the regime was responsible.

LCCSY also pointed towards the regime, reporting that its warplanes destroyed three houses in strikes.

There was some confused reporting from Alamawi with tweets accusing both the regime and then Russia.

Palestine Today offered some more information on victims, saying that “a woman and her sister along with her child and two other children” died.

Syrian News Desk provided the most details, reporting that “four children and a young man were killed and more than 12 other civilians wounded, including two children, this afternoon, due to the Russian warplanes carrying out two raids on Taianh village, which is under the control of Islamic State. The shelling resulted in the destruction of two houses completely and two others partially, in addition to the combustion of a vehicle and damage to businesses in the area”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Ria Soud
Age unknown killed
Zubiedah Soud

The victims were named as:

Ieman Suleiman Aldabjan
Age unknown killed
Abd Al-Qader Farhan Awad
Age unknown killed
Yazan Al-Ragheb Sulieman
Child killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 6
  • (3–4 children2–3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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 (20) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Smoke rises above a residential area in Al Tayaneh following suspected Russian shelling (via Jisirtv)
  • The site where suspected Russian warplanes hit Al Tayaneh causing significant material destruction (via DeirEzzorradio)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia has not reported any strikes between September 1st – 30th 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 6
  • (3–4 children2–3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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 (20) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1213

Incident date

September 2, 2016

Location

دوما, Douma, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.5714804, 36.4033699 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to four civilians including at least one woman and her child died in an airstrike on Douma, according to local media – though sources were conflicted as to whether this was the work of Russia or the Syrian regime.

The majority of sources, including Qasioun, the Smart News Network, the Syrian Press Centre and the Syrian Network for Human Rights, attributed the event to the Syrian regime.

A number of sources said that a woman and her child died, though Smart put the death toll higher at “a child, two women and a man, with three more women wounded.”

However, Iran Abab Spring blamed Russia, reporting that “an entire family were either killed or wounded while they were eating”.

A second source, Yasser voile Dumaini, also pointed towards Moscow, saying that “a mother and her daughters” died.

Some reports said that the deaths occurred as a result of artillery, with SMO publishing footage reportedly showing Douma moments after the shelling.

The Violations Documentation Center named the following victims as killed by “warplanes” belonging to the “Syrian government and affiliated militias”:

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Fatme al-Airoot
Adult female killed
Rawan al-Airoot
Child female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 4
  • (1–2 children1–2 women1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    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 (15) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Rawan Al-Ayrout reportedly killed along side her mother in Douma - the human cost of alleged Russian shelling (Tweet via Osama_Almasari) [Page no longer available accessed via Airwars archive]
  • A container full of blood in Douma - remnants of the alleged Russian airstrikes on the neighbourhood (via Halab Today TV)
  • The house where Fatme al-Airoot and Rawan al-Airoot died from injuries sustained in suspected Russian warplane shelling (Youtube via Yasser voile Dumaini)
  • Footage of buildings in Douma - destroyed in an aerial bombardment allegedly carried out by Russia (Youtube via Yasser voile Dumaini)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A local woman stands with the bodies of the mother and daughter killed in suspected Russian shelling on Douma (Youtube via Yasser voile Dumaini)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia has not reported any strikes between September 1st – 30th 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 4
  • (1–2 children1–2 women1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    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 (15) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1214

Incident date

September 3, 2016

Location

فيلون, Filon, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.8805853, 36.6128403 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians died and several others were wounded in an airstrike on Filon in Idlib governorate, according to sources on the ground – though reports were conflicted as to whether Russia or the Syrian regime were to blame.

Both Halab Today and LCCSY attributed the event to Russia.

However, Assabeel blamed the regime.

Syrian News didn’t apportion blame.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • 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 Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia has not reported any strikes between September 1st – 30th 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • 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 Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1215

Incident date

September 3, 2016

Location

إدلب, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.93062, 36.63393 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians died and several more were wounded in an airstrike on Idlib city, according to local media – though sources were conflicted as to whether Russia or the Syrian regime were responsible.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Radio Alkul and the Syrian Network for Human Rights blamed the regime, putting the death toll at two.

In confused reporting, LCCSY initially pointed towards the regime but then attributed the event to Russia.

Both AlhadathFM and Baladi reported that cluster bombs had been dropped on the city, though these sources didn’t apportion blame.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • 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 Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Remnants of cluster bombs in Idlib - suspected fired by Russian or Regime warplanes (Youtube via Baladi)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia has not reported any strikes between September 1st – 30th 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • 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 Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1216

Incident date

September 3, 2016

Location

خان السبل, Khan al Subbul, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.753927, 36.770468 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to five civilians died and as many as 20 were wounded in airstrike on Khan Al-Subbul in Idlib governorate, according to sources on the ground – though reports were conflicted as to whether this was the work of Russia or the Syrian regime.

In one report, LCCSY blamed the regime but then appeared to change its position and point towards Russia.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SN4HR) initially attributed the event to “government warplanes and its allies missiles”, putting the death toll at five.

However, a subsequent SN4HR report pointed to Russia, reporting that “fixed-wing warplanes we believe are Russian fired missiles loaded with cluster bombs on a gathering of vehicles near the international highway in Khan Al Sobol. The town is jointly controlled by armed opposition factions and the Fateh Al Sham Front. Five civilians were killed and about 20 others were wounded when a number of vehicles were burnt.”

Syrian Press Centre said that phosphorous bombs had been dropped on the town, leading to injuries, though it didn’t apportion blame.

The lowest death count was given by Radio Al Kul and Halab Today, who said that just one civilian died. Both sources held Russia responsible for the incident.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 5
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–20
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • 'Image of remnants of flammable weapons dropped by government warplanes and its allies on Khan Al Subbul town in Idlib governorate, September 3, 2016.' (via SN4HR)
  • At_least_49_massacre_in_September_2016

    ‘no less than 49 massacres in September 2016 including 46 at the hands of the russian and Syrian regimes’ - SN4HR report details the alleged Russian attacks on Khan Al Subbul (PDF via SN4HR) [Arabic]

  • At_least_49_massacre_in_September_2016_en

    ‘no less than 49 massacres in September 2016 including 46 at the hands of the russian and Syrian regimes’ - SN4HR report details the alleged Russian attacks on Khan Al Subbul (PDF via SN4HR) [English]

Unknown Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown
  • Unknown position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Unknown
Official source

Russia has not reported any strikes between September 1st – 30th 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 5
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–20
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (11) [ collapse]