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 date

May 5, 2024

Incident Code

R4673

LOCATION

الأبزمو, Al Abzimo, Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

On the evening of Saturday, May 5th, 2024, artillery shelling allegedly conducted by Syrian regime forces and/or Russian forces and/or Iranian forces hit a residential neighborhood in the town of Abzimo, in the western countryside of Aleppo, killing a child and injuring his mother. Twelve-year-old Qais Haj Shaban and his mother were transported to a

Summary

First published
May 5, 2024
Last updated
December 15, 2024
Strike status
Contested strike
Strike type
Artillery
Infrastructure
Residential
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
1
(1 child)
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 belligerents
Russian Military, Iranian Military, Syrian Regime
Named victims
2 named, 1 familiy identified
View Incident

Incident date

July 3, 2024

Incident Code

R4674

LOCATION

سرمين, city of Sarmin, east of Idlib, Idlib, Syria

Six identified civilians, including two children and four women of which two were mother and daughter, were injured and several civilians were reportedly killed in an alleged artillery shelling with contested responsibility perpetrated by the Syrian regime military forces and/or Russian military and/or Iranian military in the city of Sarmin, east of Idlib, Syria, in

Summary

First published
July 3, 2024
Last updated
December 15, 2024
Strike status
Contested strike
Strike type
Artillery
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
2
Civilians reported injured
6
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 belligerents
Russian Military, Syrian Regime, Iranian Military
Named victims
6 named, 1 familiy identified
View Incident

Incident date

July 27, 2024

Incident Code

R4675

LOCATION

أرض زراعية  على أطراف بلدة بداما في ريف إدلب الغربي, agricultural land on the outskirts of the town of Badama (Bdama), west of Idlib, Idlib, Syria

An explosion of a cluster bomb remnant reportedly left from previous shelling by the Russian military and/or the Syrian regime forces and/or the Nusayri regime militias affiliated with the Syrian regime resulted in the killing of a young civilian man on the agricultural land in the outskirts of Badama (Bdama) town located in the western

Summary

First published
July 27, 2024
Last updated
December 15, 2024
Strike status
Contested strike
Strike type
Airstrike and/or Artillery
Infrastructure
Agriculture
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
1
(1 man)
Cause of injury / death
Planted explosives and unexploded ordnance (UXO)
Airwars civilian harm grading
Contested
Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
Impact
Food
Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
Suspected belligerents
Russian Military, Syrian Regime
Named victims
1 named
View Incident

Incident date

November 28, 2023

Incident Code

R4632

LOCATION

كتيان, Kitian, Idlib, Idlib, Syria

On Tuesday, November 28th, 2023, four members of the same family: a father, a mother and their two children, were injured as a result of an alleged artillery strike with guided missiles by the Syrian regime and/or the Russian military and/or the Iranian military on the Katyan-Zardana road, north of Idlib, Syria. Conflicting information was

Summary

First published
December 13, 2024
Last updated
December 15, 2024
Strike status
Contested strike
Strike type
Artillery
Infrastructure
Agriculture
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
0 – 6
Civilians reported injured
4
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 belligerents
Russian Military, Iranian Military, Syrian Regime
Named victims
4 named, 1 familiy identified
View Incident

Incident date

January 1, 2024

Incident Code

R4651a

LOCATION

دارة عزة, Darat Azza and the villages of Kabashin and Burj Haidar, Aleppo, Syria

Shortly before 2:14 PM on Monday, January 1st, 2024, artillery and missile shelling allegedly launched by the Syrian regime and/or Russian forces and/or Iranian forces killed at least six identified civilians and injured at least 11 civilians, including an infant and three other children, in the city of Darat Azza and the villages of Kabashin

Summary

First published
December 30, 2024
Last updated
March 4, 2025
Strike status
Contested strike
Strike type
Airstrike and/or Artillery
Infrastructure
Bakery, Commerce, Market, Mosque, Religious, Residential, Road, Transportation
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
6
(1 child1 woman4 men)
Civilians reported injured
11
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 belligerents
Russian Military, Iranian Military, Syrian Regime
Named victims
16 named, 2 families identified
View Incident

Incident date

February 20, 2024

Incident Code

R4662

LOCATION

آفس, Afes, east of Idlib, Idlib, Syria

During the evening of Tuesday, February 20, 2024, an artillery strike with contested responsibility allegedly carried out by the Syrian regime and/or Russian military and/or Iranian-backed militant groups in the town of Afes in eastern Idlib countryside, Syria, killed two adult sisters and injured their elderly mother. According to journalist Ahmed Shibli (@Ahmad_1alshble), the area

Summary

First published
December 30, 2024
Strike status
Contested strike
Strike type
Artillery
Infrastructure
House, Residential
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
2
(2 women)
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 belligerents
Russian Military, Iranian Military, Syrian Regime
Named victims
3 named, 1 familiy identified
View Incident

Incident date

August 12, 2024

Incident Code

R4678

LOCATION

طريق الأبزمو - الأتارب, Al Atareb - Abzimo road, western countryside of Aleppo, Syria, Aleppo, Syria

On the evening of Sunday, 11th August 2024, a civilian was reportedly injured by a bombardment allegedly perpetrated by the Syrian regime’s forces and/or Iranian military and/or Russian military on the Atarib-Abzmo road in the western countryside of the Aleppo governorate in Syria. A Twitter/X post by the Syrian Civil Defence included photos of the

Summary

First published
March 4, 2025
Strike status
Contested strike
Strike type
Artillery
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
Unknown
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 belligerents
Syrian Regime, Russian Military, Iranian Military
View Incident

Incident date

September 15, 2024

Incident Code

R4683

LOCATION

سرمين, western neighbourhood of the city of Sarmin, Idlib, Syria

Shortly before 4:40 PM on Sunday, September 15, 2024, a child named Mohammad Somar Haj Lattouf and a young man named Abdulaziz Jamal Abboud were injured as a result of artillery shelling with contested responsibility allegedly perpetrated by Syrian regime forces and/or Iraniian military and/or Russian military in the western neighbourhood of the city of

Summary

First published
March 4, 2025
Strike status
Contested strike
Strike type
Artillery
Infrastructure
Education, Primary School, Residential
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
Unknown
Civilians reported injured
2
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.
Impact
Education
Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
Suspected belligerents
Russian Military, Iranian Military, Syrian Regime
Named victims
2 named
View Incident

Incident date

October 16, 2024

Incident Code

R4693

LOCATION

منازل المدنيين بين قريتي معربليت ومعرزاف في ريف إدلب الجنوبي, a residential house between the villages of Maarbalit and Maarzaf, Idlib, Idlib, Syria

During the morning of Wednesday, 16 October 2024, a five-year-old girl named Jana Omar Hajouz was killed and a number of civilians were reportedly injured by artillery shelling allegedly launched by the Syrian regime and/or the Russian military and/or Iranian military on a family home located between the villages of Maarbalit and Maarzaf in the

Summary

First published
March 4, 2025
Strike status
Contested strike
Strike type
Artillery
Infrastructure
Residential
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
1
(1 child)
Civilians reported injured
0–2
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 belligerents
Russian Military, Iranian Military, Syrian Regime
Named victims
1 named
View Incident

Incident date

August 18, 2024

Incident Code

R4679

LOCATION

كورين, Korin, Idlib, Idlib, Syria

Late in the evening on Sunday, August 18th, 2024, one unnamed civilian was reportedly injured as a result of airstrikes with contested responsibility allegedly perpetrated by Syrian regime forces and/or Russian military and/or Iranian militias. The incident reportedly occurred in Korin in the southern countryside of Idlib. The @SyriaCivilDefe (or ‘White Helmets’) reported that one

Summary

First published
March 7, 2025
Strike status
Contested strike
Strike type
Artillery
Infrastructure
Car, Road, Transportation, Vehicle
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
Unknown
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 belligerents
Russian Military, Iranian Military, Syrian Regime
View Incident

Incident date

September 3, 2024

Incident Code

R4681

LOCATION

جسر الشغور, Jisr al-Shughour, Idlib, Syria

Around 10 pm on the evening of Tuesday, September 3, 2024, four civilians – two men, a woman, and a child – were injured by artillery and rocket shelling allegedly by Syrian regime forces and/or Iranian militias and/or Russian forces on the residential buildings in the city of Jisr al-Shughour in the Idlib region of

Summary

First published
March 7, 2025
Strike status
Contested strike
Strike type
Artillery
Infrastructure
House, Residential
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
Unknown
Civilians reported injured
4
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 belligerents
Russian Military, Iranian Military, Syrian Regime
Named victims
4 named
View Incident

Incident date

September 9, 2024

Incident Code

R4682

LOCATION

تادف, the old diesel market area north of Taduf, Aleppo, Syria

Shortly before 7:14 PM on Monday, September 9, 2024, three children were injured, one of whom sustained critical injuries, in an mortar shelling allegedly carried out by Syrian regime forces and/or the Iranian military and/or the Russian military, hitting residential neighborhoods in the old diesel market area north of Taduf (Tadef), Aleppo, Syria. Reports from

Summary

First published
March 7, 2025
Strike status
Contested strike
Strike type
Artillery
Civilian harm reported
Yes
Civilians reported killed
Unknown
Civilians reported injured
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 belligerents
Russian Military, Syrian Regime, Iranian Military
View Incident