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

RS1786

Incident date

December 12, 2016

Location

تدمر, Palmyra , Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.569294, 38.291216 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to five civilians were reportedly killed in shelling on Palmyra, according to local media.

The source, Al Natek, reported that there was “heavy shelling targeting the city of Douma by Russian aviation”.

A later report from the same source stated that an “Al Jazeera correspondent reported that five were dead and a number wounded in an initial toll of Russian bombing on the city of Palmyra.”

There was no further information as to how many civilians were injured.

 

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (2) [ collapse]

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 specific strikes between December 1st – 31st 2016.

On 6 January 2017, Russia, however, reported: “Since November 8, 2016, the aircraft carrier group of the Northern Fleet consisting of the heavy aircraft carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov, the heavy nuclear missile cruiser Pyotr Velikiy, the large ASW ship Severomorsk, as well as auxiliary vessels of the Black Sea Fleet, has been fulfilling counterterrorist missions on the territory of Syria”, adding that ”in the course of two months of their participation in the combat actions, naval aviation pilots have carried out 420 combat sorties, 117 of them were night ones.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2069

Incident date

April 3, 2017

Location

سراقب, Saraqeb, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.859101, 35.797731 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to five civilians were killed – including an entire family of four people – and as many as seven other civilians were injured – including three children – in an airstrike which struck the residential neighbourhood of Saraqeb, according to local media. Sources all blamed Russian warplanes for the raid, though some, such as Smart News, didn’t identify the warplanes.

Most sources, including Syria Civil Defence and other local tweeters, reported that a mother and her three children were killed in the raid. They were named by ENN.

However, EdlibNN tweeted that two women and two children were killed. Additionally, Shamna put the death toll at five. 

Many of the wounded had serious injures, according to reportage, and a medical source from Serakib said “the number of people killed in the next few hours is increasing due to the seriousness of some of the wounded”. 

Media activist Leith al-Assi from Rural Idlib told the “News of Syria”, that the civil defence teams recovered three children who are still alive from the rubble.” The injured were taken to field hospitals by ambulance in and around the city. 

Halab Today TV specified that vacuum missiles were used to struck the vicinity. 

The incident occured at 21:22:00 local time.

The victims were named as:

Family members (4)

Adult female killed
Child killed
Child killed
Child killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 5
  • (2–3 children1–2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–7
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]

  • Just moments after the alleged Russian airstrike hit Saraqeb. Injured civilians can be seen being taken to hospital in an ambulance. 3rd April 2017. (via Idlib Media Centre)
  • Members of the Civil Defence rescue civilians from the rubble in the aftermath of an alleged Russian raid on Saraqeb, 3rd April 2017. (via Syrian Civil Defence)
  • Members of the Civil Defence rescue civilians from the rubble in the aftermath of an alleged Russian raid on Saraqeb, 3rd April 2017. (via Syrian Civil Defence)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An injured child in the aftermath of an alleged Russian raid on Saraqeb, 3rd April 2017. (via Syrian Civil Defence)
  • An injured child is pulled from the rubble and taken to a medical facility in the aftermath of an alleged Russian raid on Saraqeb, 3rd April 2017. (via Idlib Media Centre)
  • Sham Hasan Tellawi, killed alongside her mother and two siblings in an alleged Russian raid which targeted Saraqeb, 3rd April 2017. (via SN4HR)

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 specific strikes between April 1st - 31st 2017.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 5
  • (2–3 children1–2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–7
  • 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]

Incident Code

RS1996

Incident date

March 21, 2017

Location

كماري , Kamari town, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.0449004, 36.9331169 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Five civilians were killed and 10 injured by alleged Russian airstrikes southwest of Aleppo, Smart News reported.

The raids reportedly struck the town at night, killing a woman and child, as well as three men.

Rescue teams worked for five hours to recover those trapped under the rubble.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7–10
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7–10
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS200

Incident date

November 27, 2015

Location

أعزاز‎, A`zaz, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.586002, 37.034333 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to five civilians, including one to two children, were reported killed and six injured in an alleged Russian airstrike on Azaz, according to multiple sources.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that three non-combatants, including one child, died when Russian warplanes launched several rockets targeting the road leading to the border crossing point with Turkey. A pro-regime tweet instead claimed that “Russian warplanes raids target a convoy coming from Turkey to support the terrorists of al Nusra Front via Izaz in the northern Aleppo countryside.”

The White Helmets put the death toll at five and said the victims were from the same family and included two children. However, in their Facebook post, they stated that the area was attacked by “warplanes“, not specifying any nationality.

The VDC named the two victims and another man as an unidentified.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights listed one additional victim by name.

Halab News named Mohammad Hussein Barhawi, who it said was an FSA fighter.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Child male named by VDC killed
Child female named by VDC (15 years) killed
Adult male named by NS4RH killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 5
  • (1–2 children2 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Unknown

Sources (18) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • 'Russian enemy planes bomb Izaz on the Syrian Turkish border' (via Mohammad Abduallah Sleiman tweet)
  • Burning trucks in the aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on Izaz, November 27th (via White Helmets)
  • Footage of the moment an alleged Russian airstrike hit Azaz, Nov 27th (via north press)
  • The martyr of Jamila Abu Hussein Al - Ghabash was martyred by the Russian bombing on the city of Aazaz (via Jasimine tweet)
  • Mohammad Barho (via VDC)
  • a Syrian girl her head destroyed as a result of the Russian bombing on the border areas in the town of Izaz (via Shareef Sarmada tweet)
  • A picture of Russian warplanes raids target a convoy coming from Turkey to support the terrorists of al Nusra Front (via Izaz in the northern Aleppo countryside)

Geolocation notes (5) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention an airstrike targeting several vehicles in western A’zaz (أعزاز‎). After investigating audio-visual material from sources, we narrowed this location to a highway west of the city, for which the exact coordinates are: 36.586002, 37.034333.

  • The vehicles were struck next to the electricity pylon seen here.

    Imagery:
    Aleppo White Helmets

  • A victim is removed from the scene of the airstrike, also showing a dirt road and two buildings.

    Imagery:
    North Press

  • Witness video shows the road on which the vehicles were targeted. Note that feature D refers to the small road that turns onto the main highway.

    Imagery:
    North Press

  • Overhead imagery shows the features marked in the media from witnesses.

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

  • Satellite imagery showing the exact location of the airstrike.

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

Unknown Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Unknown

Russia reported that “In the course of the last week, November 26 – December 4, the Russian aircraft have performed 431 combat sorties from the Hmeymim airbase making pinpoint strikes on 1458 terrorist objects in the Aleppo, Idlib, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Deir ez-Zor and Raqqah provinces.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 5
  • (1–2 children2 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Unknown

Sources (18) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS393

Incident date

January 15, 2016

Location

زملكا, Zamalka, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.5261, 36.35385 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Five civilians including two woman and a child were alleged killed in a Russian airstrike on Zamalka, according to the Violations Documentation Centre. However Step News and others said the town also came under attack from heavy artillery fire.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Adult male killed
Adult female killed
Ahmed Dubie
Child added later by Syria2011 saying they had died of their injuries in ‘artillery shelling’: killed
Fatima Tayfur
Adult female added later by Syria2011 saying they had died of their injuries in ‘artillery shelling’: killed
Sheikh Suhail
Adult male added later by Syria2011 saying they had died of their injuries in ‘artillery shelling’: killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (1 child2 women2 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 (6) [ collapse]

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
    5
  • (1 child2 women2 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 (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS874

Incident date

June 7, 2016

Location

الموحسن, Muhassan, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

35.2257487, 40.3109038 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Five civilians including two or three women and one child died in an alleged Russian airstrike on Muhassan, according to local sources.

Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently named two female victims and alleged “they were killed in Russian Raids”.

Gulfeyes named two additional victims (though did not identify the warplanes responsible).

Additionally, LCCSY reported on June 11th that a child, “Fatima Mouhamad Shihada, 15 years” died from injuries sustained in an alleged Russian strike on Muhassan a few days previously.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (4)

Mrs Fadda al Abdallah al Haj
Adult female killed
Mrs. Fteim Al Ghadeer
Adult female killed
Mohammad Ghadir
male killed
Jazeya Mustafa Al-Jijan 
killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (1 child2–3 women1 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 (10) [ collapse]

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 June 1st – 31st 2016.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (1 child2–3 women1 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 (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS149 RS175

Incident date

November 20, 2015

Location

البوكمال, Abu Kamal, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

35.32887, 40.12997 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Within 100m (via Coalition) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The Violations Documentation Center listed five non-combatants, including two women and one child, as killed in an alleged Russian or Coalition airstrike near Al Bukamal. At least two of those killed were said to work for the local electricity company, who died when an oil tank was targeted.

VDC named two male victims and additionally they listed three unidentified victims – 2 women and a male child.

The Syrian Observatory also reported a man and child killed.

The United States later said it was responsible, noting a year later that “near Dayr Az Zawr, Syria, against an ISIL tactical unit, it is assessed that five civilians were killed and three individuals were injured after the civilians entered the target area after the aircraft released its weapon.”

In July 2019, the Coalition provided Airwars with the location of this incident, accurate to within a 100 metre box.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Adult male VDC lists him as having died following a 'heart attack caused by the Russian air forces shelling' killed
Adult male VDC lists him as having been killed in Sukarieh: Al Bukamal due to 'Russian air forces shelling' killed
Adult female pregnant listed as having been killed along with her twin fetuses killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (1 child2 women2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    US-led Coalition
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • @DeirEzzor24 tweets a photo of the alleged Russian raids on al Mayadeen on 20/11/2015
  • tweet reporting death of two employees of the electricity company following an air raid that targeted a fuel tank near the company. [Via: ahraralmayadein]
  • Tweet reporting dead and wounded among employees in the electricity company in the town of al Boukamal following alleged coalition raids. [Via: @JisrTV]
  • Tweet reporting Russian raids on al Sukariya neighbourhood in al Boukamal and on the town of Hatla Tahtani. [Via: @Syria_Rebels]

Geolocation notes

Prior to the Coalition releasing the MGRS for this incident, Airwars had geolocated it to the nearest city at 34.466049, 40.907593

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Known belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Credible / Substantiated
    The investigation assessed that although all feasible precautions were taken and the decision to strike complied with the law of armed conflict, unintended civilian casualties regrettably occurred.
  • Given reason for civilian harm
    Entered target area just prior to or after munition released
    Airwars’ assessment of belligerent’s civilian casualty statement
  • Initial Airwars grading
    Confirmed
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    5
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    3
  • Stated location
    near Dayr Az Zawr, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFV027101
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Nov 9, 2016
  • November 20, 2015, near Dayr Az Zawr, Syria, against an ISIL tactical unit, it is assessed that five civilians were killed and three individuals were injured after the civilians entered the target area after the aircraft released its weapon.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

The Coalition has confirmed in its November 20th-21st reports to attacking the city that day: “Near Abu Kamal, one strike struck an ISIL crude oil collection point.”

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia reported that “On November 20, the ships of the Caspian flotilla performed launches of 18 cruise missiles against 7 targets in the Raqqah, Idlib and Aleppo provinces. All the aims were hit.” It added that “29 aircraft of long-range and bomber aviation made strikes from the zone of the Caspian Sea,” though gave no details of the areas targeted.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (1 child2 women2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Confirmed
    A specific belligerent has accepted responsibility for civilian harm.
  • Known attacker
    US-led Coalition
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1541

Incident date

November 7, 2016

Location

قرية السلوم , Al Sallloum, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.2376881, 36.9403696 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between two and three civilians were killed, including three children and a woman, and others were wounded in airstrikes that struck Al Salloum village in Aleppo, sources on the ground said.

While the Violations Documentation Center and Halab News identified the names of an adult female and male that were killed in the airstrikes, @eldorar1 allegesdthat three children from the same family were killed.

The consensus among local sources was that Russian planes were responsible for the attacks.

Most sources reported that cluster bombs were used in the strike, however @RFS_NORTH tweeted that surface rockets were deployed.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Khadeeje Mohammad Ibraheem
Adult female named by VDC killed
Ahmad Mohammad Ibraheem
Adult male named by VDC killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 5
  • (0–3 children1 woman1 man)
  • 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 (13) [ collapse]

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 November 1st – 30th 2016.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 5
  • (0–3 children1 woman1 man)
  • 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 (13) [ collapse]