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

RS1649

Incident date

November 20, 2016

Location

النشابية, Al Nashabia, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.514157, 36.487656 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between one and five children were killed and up to 20 were wounded – including 15 students and four teachers – following an artillery bombardment and airstrikes which struck Al Nashabiya School in Damascus, also named by another source as “Al Karma” Primary, according to local media. Most sources have either not attributed any blame or have blamed Russian warplanes for the alleged air and artillery strikes.

One source claimed that the missiles which struck the school caused huge amounts of material damage. Images published supported this claim. According to Syrian-Reporter, “The missile targeted the construction of the fourth row near the administrative guidance room, which caused great damage to the building, and led the school to being completely out of service.” Another source reported that rockets struck the area.

The doctor, “Anas”, working in the hospital, a statement to Smart News, suggested that “the unidentified aircraft, struck the Al Karma primary school in the town of Nashabiya, killing a student and wounding more than 15 other students and teachers. There are no military headquarters around the school.” The doctor also reported that “among the wounded are serious cases, which suggests the number of victims will increase.”

Video footage shows the extent of damage to the school, which was apparently struck on Sunday during school hours. Blood covers the floor and the classrooms are rendered out of use. Other photographs and video footage show seriously wounded children received medical treatment in a field hospital in the aftermath of the incident.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Cidra Bustani
Child killed
Huda Spinati
Child killed

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 5
  • (1–5 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    15–20
  • 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 (18) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (14) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Footage showing the aftermath of the alleged Russian air and artillery strike on a school in Al Nashabia, 20th November 2016. Footage also shows civilian casualties. (via Yasser Alfawwal)
  • The aftermath of the alleged Russian air and artillery strikes on a school in Al Nashabia, 20th November 2016. (via Eldorar)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A civilian casualty in the aftermath of the alleged Russian air and artillery strikes on a school in Al Nashabia, 20th November 2016. (via @tayserturban)
  • A girl crying while she is treated in a medical facility in the aftermath of the alleged Russian air and artillery strike on a school in Al Nashabia, 20th November 2016. (via Baladi news network)
  • A child's textbook following a Russian attack on a school. (via @malik_Al_kal)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Footage showing the aftermath of the alleged Russian air and artillery strike on a school in Al Nashabia, 20th November 2016. Footage also shows civilian casualties. (via Alfares)
  • The aftermath of the alleged Russian air and artillery strikes on a school in Al Nashabia, 20th November 2016. (via @SN4HR)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An injured child receives treatment in the aftermath of the alleged Russian air and artillery strikes on a school in Al Nashabia, 20th November 2016. (via @SN4HR)
  • The aftermath of the alleged Russian air and artillery strikes on a school in Al Nashabia, 20th November 2016. (via @YasserAl_Ahmed)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A civilian casualty in the aftermath of the alleged Russian air and artillery strikes on a school in Al Nashabia, 20th November 2016. (via @YasserAl_Ahmed)
  • The aftermath of the alleged Russian air and artillery strikes on a school in Al Nashabia, 20th November 2016. (via @YasserAl_Ahmed)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The aftermath of the alleged Russian air and artillery strikes on a school in Al Nashabia, 20th November 2016. (via @shbabRevolution)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An injured child receives treatment in the aftermath of the alleged Russian air and artillery strikes on a school in Al Nashabia, 20th November 2016. (via @shbabRevolution)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An injured child receives treatment in the aftermath of the alleged Russian air and artillery strikes on a school in Al Nashabia, 20th November 2016. (via @shbabRevolution)

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 November 1st – 30th 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 infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 5
  • (1–5 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    15–20
  • 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 (18) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2051

Incident date

April 1, 2017

Location

أورم الكبرى, Orme al Kubra, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.147179, 36.9367003 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to four children and a woman died and as many as eight further civilians were wounded in an alleged Russian airstrike on Orme al Kubra in Aleppo, according to local media.

AhmadMowafaq tweeted that there had been a “chemical bombardment on the Great Orm countryside Aleppo and the United Nations and America is silent and blind to comment” – though it didn’t identify the culprit.

However other sources attributed the event to Russia, According to Orient, “Russian warplanes carried out several air strikes with rockets on the Al-Radwan [Residential Society] and Olabi Al-Alabab in the town of Orm Al-Kubra, resulting in the death of a martyr woman and the wounding of five children, including a girl who was severely burned”.

However, RFS Media Office named four children as killed.

Omar Madaniah tweeted an image of “a girl severely burned by a Russian air raid on the town of Orme al Kubra”.

According to Smart, Russia  “targeted two residential compounds in the town, with space rockets” – one of which was the ‘Radwan Residential Society’.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Abdel-Hai Abu Abay
13 years old killed
Yehia Abu Abbas
6 years old killed
Ahmed Abu Ali
4 years old killed
Hasna Abu Abay
3 years old killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 5
  • (4 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–8
  • 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]

Media
from sources (13) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Translation: 'Chemical bombardment on the Great Orm countryside # Aleppo and the United Nations and # America is silent and blind to comment.'
  • 'A girl was severely burned by a Russian air raid on the town of Orme al Kubra'
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on Orme al Kubra, April 1st 2017 (via Orient)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on Orme al Kubra, April 1st 2017 (via RFS)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on Orme al Kubra, April 1st 2017 (via RFS)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on Orme al Kubra, April 1st 2017 (via RFS)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on Orme al Kubra, April 1st 2017 (via RFS)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on Orme al Kubra, April 1st 2017 (via RFS)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on Orme al Kubra, April 1st 2017 (via Smart)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on Orme al Kubra, April 1st 2017 (via Smart)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on Orme al Kubra, April 1st 2017 (via Smart)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on Orme al Kubra, April 1st 2017 (via Smart)
  • Prayers are said over the body of a civlian killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Orme al Kubra, April 1st 2017 (via Smart)

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
    1 – 5
  • (4 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–8
  • 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

RS2577

Incident date

October 1, 2017

Location

الحوايج, Hawaij, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.0528105, 40.4941326 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to five civilians were killed and several wounded as airstrikes, carried out by either Russia or the Syrian regime, hit Huwaij, near al Shaheel, Deir Ezzor, local media reported.

@Euphratesmedia reported after the incident “a large number of air raids targeted the towns and villages of the eastern countryside and Al Shahil crossing water”, adding that it had caused a number of victims and wounded.

The same media later reported a total of five victims. The remaining sources, however, reported the death of two men, both identified by name. The Violations Documentation Centre was the only source to report the death of just one of the men, Hmaid al-Hamed al-Meshaan

According to Jisrtv, seven civilians were killed in Russian airstrikes several areas in Deir Ezzor on that day, including al-Shuhail, though the source didn’t specify the exact number in al-Shuhail.

Besides from Jsirtv, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also attributed the strike to Russia.

However, the Syrian Network for Human Rights, who put the death toll at two, identified the Syrian regime as responsible.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Adult male killed
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 5
  • (2 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 (13) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Ghannam Al-Atwan Abu Abdul was reportedly killed during the contested airstrikes in al-Salhiya, Hawaij, October 1st, 2017 (via Euphrates Post)
  • Hamid Hamed Al-Mishaan was reportedly killed during the contested airstrikes in al-Salhiya, Hawaij, October 1st, 2017 (via Euphrates Post)

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 October 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
  • (2 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 (13) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2538

Incident date

September 26, 2017

Location

Qaiqoun village [al Qaderiya], Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.898908, 36.309807 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between two and five civilians, among them two children, were killed and up to seven others wounded in an airstrike on Qainoun village, according to local sources.

According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, “at least 2 children were killed when suspected Russian warplanes fired missiles on Qayqoun (al Qaderiya) village in Idlib governorate western suburbs on September 26, 2017.”

The Smart News Agency, citing the civil defence, reported the “killing of five civilians and injury of six others in other raids on the town of Qadriya”. The source didn’t identify the culprit.

Multiple sources published a very graphic image of one of the child victims, Mostafa Rashed.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Child killed
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 5
  • (2 children1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    6–7
  • 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 (19) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The aftermath of a strike on Qaiqoun village [al Qaderiya], Sept 26th.
  • The aftermath of a strike on Qaiqoun village [al Qaderiya], Sept 26th.
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Mostafa Rashed, killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Al-Qaderiya, Sept 26th (via Abdul Halluf)

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

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 5
  • (2 children1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    6–7
  • 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 (19) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS047

Incident date

October 15, 2015

Location

سابقية, Sabkiye, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.0641216, 37.1032333 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A husband, wife and their three children, all boys, were reported killed in a Russian airstrike at Sabkiye, in Aleppo governorate.

This event is presently single-sourced, with few details known. More broadly, the Syrian Observatory reported a major ground battle taking place at Sabkiye on the same day.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (5)

Adult female killed with her husband and three children killed
Adult male killed with his wife and three children killed
One child of Adla Mohammad al-Jasem
Child male
One child of Adla Mohammad al-Jasem
Child male
One child of Adla Mohammad al-Jasem
Child

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (3 children1 woman1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Unknown

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Sabkiye (سابقية), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.0641216, 37.1032333. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Unknown Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Unknown

The Kremlin has confirmed carrying out airstrikes in Aleppo governorate for October 15th-16th 2015: “Su-24M bombers hit a two-storey building, which the ISIS militants had used as command centre (Aleppo province). As a result, the target was destroyed by a direct hit of an air bomb.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (3 children1 woman1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Unknown

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS241

Incident date

December 7, 2015

Location

الهلك, Huluk (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.237367, 37.171512 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Five civilians including two women and two children were killed – and dozens injured – in an alleged Russian airstrike targeting Al Huluk School, Aleppo, according to the Shaam News Network.

The White Helmets reported that four dead bodies were recovered from the rubble and that 10 injured people were rescued. It said that among the dozens of wounded were many students, as the bombing occurred during school hours. Al Jazeera interviewed witnesses in Aleppo who said an aid station at the school was bombed.

Four victims were named by the Violations Documentation Center. They also noted one Unidentified male child

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Abdul Hameed Sultan
Adult male killed
Bilal Mahmoud
Child male killed
Sahar Ghazal al-Hamwi
Adult female killed
Fatme Ahmad al-Jasem
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (2 children2 women1 man)
  • 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 attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • The White Helmets work to remove victims from an alleged Russian strike on Al Hulluk, Dec 7th (via White Helmets)
  • The White Helmets reported that they removed four dead bodies and rescued 10 injured civilians following the alleged Russian strike on Al Hulluk, Dec 7th (via White Helmets)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has published no known record of its strikes in Syria between December 4th-8th.

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (2 children2 women1 man)
  • 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 attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS433

Incident date

January 21, 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

Five civilians died and up to 20 were injured in airstrikes on Al Bab, according to local sources – though reports were conflicted as to whether this was the work of Russia or the Assad regime.

Syrian Press Centre blamed Russia, putting the death toll at five, adding that “the city Of Al Bab is under aerial bombardment by the Russian Aviation constantly“.

Al Buraq Media referred to raids by “warplanes” carrying of strikes on Al Bab, but did not say who they belonged to.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that an aerial bombardment continued amid clashes between “regime forces and Islamic battalions” in Aleppo, adding that five civilians were reported killed in Al Bab.

However, according to Syria News Desk, the regime fired 20 rockets, with most of them falling “near the hospitals of AlMadina and Alfateh  and near an automated bakery“. They put the death toll at 3 civilians, with 20 more injured -adding that the number of dead could well rise due to the severity injuries.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    Healthcare facility
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • Civilians reported injured
    20
  • 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

No Russian reports were published for January 21st 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    Healthcare facility
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • Civilians reported injured
    20
  • 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

RS497

Incident date

January 29, 2016

Location

مارع, Mare', Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.482582, 37.19593 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Five civilians including two children were killed and up to 40 injured in alleged Russian airstrikes on Mare’, according to local sources.

According to the White Helmets, the town was targeted with four cluster bombs and then with two vacuum missiles, resulting in the death of three and the injury of 15 others, “most of them in a critical condition“. The White Helmets did not say who was responsible for the incidents.

However, the Shaam News Network blamed Russia for carrying out five airstrikes on civilian homes. Activists told SNN that raids targeted the city with five rockets, four of them containing cluster bombs. This reportedly happened at the time of Friday prayers, killing at least three and injuring more than 40 because the clusters bombs “spread over large areas within the city’s neighbourhoods.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Adult male killed

The victims were named as:

Child female killed
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (2 children1 woman2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    15–40
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • A member of the White Helmets examines the remains of a cluster bomb fired on Mare', 29th January 2016. (via White Helmets)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

In its military report published on 1st February 2016, the Kremlin said: “In the course of the last week, the Russian aircraft in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 468 combat sorties engaging 1354 terrorists’ infrastructural facilities in the Aleppo, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Damascus, Raqqah, Daraa and Deir ez-Zor provinces. Among them – 24 ones were carried out by Tu-22M3 long-range bombers from the Russian territory…Near Jeb Ghabishah (Aleppo province), a Su-24M bomber destroyed ammunition and POL storages of the ISIS terrorists.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (2 children1 woman2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    15–40
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]