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)

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Incident Code

RS2228

Incident date

May 10, 2017

Location

دير الزور, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

Between one and five people died – indulging one adult male – following an airstrike on Dier Ezzor. Others were also wounded, however there were no specific numbers reported. Sources were conflicted as to who was to blame. Some attributed blame to the Syrian regime, however most blamed Russia.

DeirEzzor24 was the only source to report that five civilians were killed when a warplane struck a civilian home. They did however identify the named victim in conjunction with other sources. 

Sources mentioned that “he is the third brother of two martyrs killed before -Karim and Mohammad.” However, this was likely not in this raid. 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Subhi Hassan al-Kardoush
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 5
  • (1 man)
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Subhi Hassan al-Kardoush, killed in an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Dier Ezzor, 10th May 2017. (via Mahmoud Haj Kassem)
  • Subhi Hassan al-Kardoush, killed in an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Dier Ezzor, 10th May 2017. (via Free Dier Ezzor)
  • Subhi Hassan al-Kardoush, killed in an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Dier Ezzor, 10th May 2017. (via Shaheed.DeirEzZoar.Syria1)

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 specific strikes between May 1st - 31st 2017.

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
  • (1 man)
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3770

Incident date

June 6, 2019

Location

خان شيخون, Khan Sheikhoun, Idlib , Syria

Airwars assessment

One to five civilians were reported killed in airstrikes on Khan Sheikhoun, Idlib, on June 6th.

While Shaam News reported that one child had been killed in airstrikes, Syria Civil Defense stated that “five civilians were killed and others were injured as a result of the intensive shelling of the residential neighborhoods of Khan Sheikhoun by regime forces on the third day of Eid al-Fitr.”

Syrian Network for Human Rights named the child killed in the attack as Abdul Hamid al Jawhar. @abdalazezketaz  said that his parents were injured.

While four other sources also reported the airstrikes, with the Local Coordination Committee for Syria stating that “civilians were wounded by shelling in Khan Sheikhoun”, these sources did not claim any deaths in the incident.

Four sources attributed the attack to Russia, while Syria Civil Defense and the Syrian Network for Human Rights named the Syrian regime as the active belligerent. Meanwhile the Local Coordination Committee for Syria did not positively attribute blame.

Syrian Observatory for Human rights stated that the attack, which according to this source was carried out by “Russian warplanes”, amounted to “four airstrikes on Khan Sheikhoun city”.

The incident occured in the evening.

The victims were named as:

Abdul Hamid al Jawhar عبدالحميد الجوهر
Child male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 5
  • (1 child)
  • 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
    Unknown

Sources (21) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (10) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An infant killed in the attack on Khan Sheikhoun, Idlib, June 6th (via Syrian Network for Human Rights)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • Alleged Russian raids with vacuum rockets on Khan Sheikhoun on June 6th, 2019. (via @NagiNajjar ).
  • Alleged Syrian regime raids with rockets on Khan Sheikhoun. (via @TNNArabic)
  • Alleged Syrian regime raids with rockets on Khan Sheikhoun. (via @TNNArabic)
  • Alleged Syrian regime raids with rockets on Khan Sheikhoun. (via @TNNArabic)
  • Alleged Syrian regime raids with rockets on Khan Sheikhoun. (via @TNNArabic)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

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 – 5
  • (1 child)
  • 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
    Unknown

Sources (21) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS632

Incident date

February 17, 2016

Location

تل نصري, Nasri, Hassakah, Syria

Geolocation

36.64086, 40.36756 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to five civilians including two children and possibly a woman were killed in an airstrike on Nasri, according to local sources – though reports were conflicted as to whether this was the work of Russia or the Assad regime.

Hassaka’s Youth Union reported that “two orphaned children, the grandchildren of the citizen Mohammad Al Khaled, were martyred and their mother was injured following an air raid on the village of al Nasri in abdul Aziz mountain.” But they did not say who was responsible.

However, the Shaam News Network and All4Syria blamed Russia, while the Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies also said it was likely that Russian warplanes committed the attack.

Siraj al Hasskawi said that there was a second Russian bombing on Nasri, targeting civilian homes of “two orphaned children who were killed by the Russian bombardment and their mother injured, it should be noted here that these villages are inhabited by the al bouma’eesh clan from AlBakara al A’rabiya tribe.“

But Al Arabi Aljadid said the regime was responsible and put the death toll higher at four including two children, all from one family.

Syrian Desk News also blamed the regime, citing the death of the two children and the wounding of two other non-combatants, again all from the same family.

A Hassakah activist, Siraj Al Hasskawi, reported that the injured mother, named as Mrs Fidda Al Maghir, later died from her wounds, though it was unclear from the post who carried out the attack, saying that she joined her children “who were killed by the bombing of Russian, American and Assad planes in the village of Al Nasri in Abdul Aziz mountain west of Al Hassaka.“

According to Alhasakaalhadath, “Two orphans, descendants of Mohammed Al-Khaled died and their mother was hit by an air raid on the village of Nazareth, mount Abdulaziz.” The source did not say who was responsible.

But Albawaba News reported that it was likely a Russian strike occurring at 11am, when two missiles targeted a home where two children lived. The report said that the children died – grandchildren of Mohammed al Khaled – while their mother suffered “moderate injuries“.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Grandson of Mohammad al-Khaled 1
Child male Listed by VDC killed
Grandson of Mohammad al-Khaled 2
Child male Listed by VDC killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 5
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • 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 (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 published no known record of strikes in Syria from February 17th – February 29th.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

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

Incident Code

RS3034

Incident date

February 19, 2018

Location

جسرين, Jisreen, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.5112138, 36.3881891 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to five civilians including one woman were killed and dozens were wounded in alleged Russian or regime airstrikes on Jisreen, eastern Ghouta, Damascus, local media reported.

The death toll amounted to three or four, sources on the ground said. However, a total of five fatalities were identified by name by Zaman al-Wasl and Damascus Media Center; four men and one woman. Three of the men were most likely related.

While most sources only mentioned aerial shelling, RFS Media Office, who did not identify the culprit, also reported artillery strikes.

Sources were conflicted in terms of culpability. Damascus Media Center pointed to Russia, while Baladi News and the Syrian Network for Human Rights blamed the Syrian regime.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Dahir Darwish
Age unknown male killed
Abdul Rahman Darwish
Age unknown male killed
Khalil Darwish
Age unknown male killed

The victims were named as:

Sayah Zekrk
Age unknown female killed
Shaiah Osman
Age unknown from Melihah

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 5
  • Civilians reported injured
    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 (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • Jisreen, Damascus, after being subject to the contested shelling on February 19th, 2018 (via Damascus Media Center)
  • Jisreen, Damascus, after being subject to the contested shelling on February 19th, 2018 (via Damascus Media Center)
  • Wounded civilian receiving treatment following the contested shelling in Jisreen, Damascus, February 19th, 2018 (via Damascus Media Center)
  • Jisreen, Damascus, after being subject to the contested shelling on February 19th, 2018 ((via Ghouta GMC)

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 February 1st - 28th 2018.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 5
  • Civilians reported injured
    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 (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS792

Incident date

May 6, 2016

Location

الباب, Al-Bab, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.371972, 37.51631 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources reported that five civilians were killed in alleged Russian raids on a park in Al Bab.

According Al Jisr TV, Russian warplanes killed five civilians in Al Bab. Qasioun and Nasaem News also blamed Russia. Other sources did not identify who was responsible.

Baladi News also reported the incident and said that “warplanes and helicopters targeted the general park in Al Bab. Five were killed and dozens wounded and this is the initial death toll.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (8) [ 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 May 1st – 31st.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1018

Incident date

July 18, 2016

Location

Al Maysar, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.212011, 37.171227 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Street level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In multiple alleged Russian or Assad regime airstrikes which struck residential buildings, in Aleppo’s Al Maysar neighbourhood, a family of five and an elderly man were reportedly killed.

BBC reported that “according to opposition source, Russian warplanes launched extensive shelling in Kafr hamra and Al-Maysar.”

AMC News blamed the Assad regime for the strike, while Al Jazeera pointed to both the regime and Russia.

But reports by Smart New, Halab Today and Jisrtv attributed the event to solely Russia.

According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, there were “no less than six raids” on Al Maysar – though Halab Today pout the number as high as 12.

Alabary News reported  that “warplanes thought to be Russian struck a building and killed a family of a mother, a father, and three children who were living in the building.”

Halab News named identified five victims, seen below, including two children.

Qasioun said that seven other civilians were injured in the airstrike, adding that many were in a critical condition.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Mohammed Hussein Al-Zukhri
Age unknown male killed
Saleh Mohammed Al-Zukhri
5 years old male killed
Abdul-Kader Mohammed Al-Zukhri
Child male killed

The victims were named as:

Badriya Lhamdeya
38 years old female killed
Saleh Mohammad Diyab
70 years old male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (3 children1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7
  • 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 (17) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An injured man is rescued from the rubble caused by alleged Russian and Assad regime warplanes which targeted a residential area in Al Maysar. 18th July 2016. (via, Mohammed Hasami tweet)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A body dragged from the rubble. Al Maysar., 18th July 2016. (via, Mohammed Hasami tweet)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Civilians being rescued from under the rubble following the airstrikes on Al Maysar neighbourhood, Aleppo (via AMC)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Civilian child victim of the alleged Russian and Assad regime warplanes which targeted a residential area in Al Maysar. 18th July 2016. (via, Mohammed Hasami tweet)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Civilians in the aftermath of the alleged Russian and Assad regime warplanes which targeted a residential area in Al Maysar. 18th July 2016. (via, Mohammed Hasami tweet)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Injured civilians of the alleged Russian and Assad regime warplanes which hit a residential area in Al Maysar. 18th July 2016. (via iphs _tr tweet)

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 July 16th – 27th 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
  • (3 children1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7
  • 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 (17) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1293

Incident date

September 21, 2016

Location

حي السكري, Sukkari (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.17594, 37.14111 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between four and five civilians died in the al Sukkari neighbourhood of Aleppo when a six-storey residential building was destroyed, according to sources on the ground – though reports were conflicted as to whether Russian airstrike or regime artillery or helicopters were to blame. Several sources alleged that Russian used phosphorus bombs in the attack.

The Shaam News Network referred to “four dead and several wounded,” while @syria_pulse mentioned five dead, and said that two people were still trapped under rubble as of noon on September 21st.

Aawsat News said that after midnight, shelling destroyed the residential building completely.

Some sources, such as @thiqanewsagency, referenced both “shelling with rockets” and “barrel bombs”. Alquds and Al Jazeera echoed that language.

@RFS_NORTH tweeted that regime helicopters dropped barrel bombs, as did the Step News Agency.

But several independent sources claimed that Russian warplanes were involved. Smart News said the warplanes dropped phosphorus, as did @Syriapost1.

@HalabNEwsN also said the Russian planes dropped cluster bombs.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 5
  • 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 (15) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Aftermath of the contested strikes in al-Sukkari, Aleppo (via Thiqa News Agency)

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
    4 – 5
  • 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 (15) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1758

Incident date

December 6, 2016

Location

حي قارلق, Karlak neighbourhood, Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.205914, 37.174301 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Five civilians were reportedly killed in airstrike on Karlak neighbourhood, Aleppo, according to local media source, HNN.

HNN reported that the five civilians died “following Russian enemy raids”.

There were no other known sources reporting on this incident.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • 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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

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.”

Additionally, Russia reported that its air forces have carried out strikes in Aleppo during November and December 2016.

Summary

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

Sources (1) [ collapse]