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
4805 Results
sort by:
Sort by:
Incident date
Civilian deaths alleged
Civilian deaths confirmed by belligerent

Incident Code

RS240

Incident date

December 7, 2015

Location

حي السكري, Al Sukkari, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

Five civilians were reported killed and 10 injured in an airstrike on the Al Sukkari neighbourhood, according to multiple sources – though reports were conflicted as to whether the attack was the work of Russia or the Assad regime.

The Shaam News Network reported that Russian warplanes were responsible for the raid after a vacuum missile caused the collapse of an entire building.

The White Helmets also put the death toll at five, and said that they had managed to rescue 10 people from under the rubble. However they did not attribute responsibility for the raid.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights said that regime missiles were responsible, claiming five lives.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • Civilians reported injured
    10
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • The White Helmets attempt to rescue survivors from an alleged Russian or regime raid on Al Sukkari, December 7th. (via, White Helmets)
  • The White Helmets amidst a rescue operation following a contested airstrike. (via, White Helmets)

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 its strikes in Syria between December 4th-8th.

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
    10
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS368

Incident date

January 11, 2016

Location

الرستن‬, Ar-Rastan, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.93, 36.74 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Five civilians including three women and one child were killed in alleged Russian airstrikes on Al Rastan, according to multiple sources.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that Russian warplanes raided Al Rastan and Der al-Foul, killing three non-combatants including a child in Al Rastan.

Distressing and graphic videos posted by ‘Al Rastan’ depict child casualties, while footage published by the Qasioun agency shows destruction of buildings. ‘Al Rastan’ referred only to “warplanes” firing vacuum missiles, although all other sources said that they belonged to Russia.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Meriam Abdul Wahhabi
Adult female killed
Luay al-Ashtar
Child male killed
Yehya Mardood
Adult male killed
Wafer Masharqa
Adult female killed
Badriye al-Naish
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (1 child3 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]

Media
from sources (8) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A video showing seriously injured children in a medical facility. (via, Ar Rastan)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Footage highlighting the damage caused by the alleged Russian raid. Blood can be seen splattered on the walls. (via, Qasioun Agency)
  • Luay al-Ashtar, killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on 11th January 2016. (via, VDC)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Footage of a deceased child following an alleged Russian raid in Ar Rastan. (via, Qasioun Agency)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Disturbing footage of seriously injured children following an alleged Russian raid in Ar Rastan. (via, Ya’rob Al Dali - logo on screen reads ‘Al Rastan’)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Disturbing footage in the aftermath of the alleged Russian raid on Ar Rastan. Civilians can be seen rescuing injured casualties from the rubble of residential homes. (via, Ya’rob Al Dali - logo on screen reads ‘Al Rastan’)
  • The exact moments the missiles hit Ar Rastan on 11th January 2016. (via, Ar Rastan)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The body of a deceased civilian. (via, Ar Rastan)

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.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (1 child3 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

RS784

Incident date

April 29, 2016

Location

الصاخور, Al Sakhour (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.2179122, 37.1892357 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources reported about continued airstrikes in al-Sakhour, Aleppo, that killed up to five civilians, including one child and wounded up to four. Sources were constesting regarding the cultprit, pointing to both the Assad regime and Russia.

Shaam News Network, reported “For the eighth day in a row Assad’s and Russian aircraft continue to pour their lava on residential neighborhoods in the city of Aleppo, causing dozens of massacres“. Its initial report said one civilian died, later revising the death toll to five.

Abarah Press said “two people were killed and several wounded by aerial bombardment by three rockets on Al-sakhur neighborhood east of the city.” And Qasioun news reported that Syrian and Russian warplanes had targeted the “Al-Mash’had, Alsakhur neighborhoods, and Kallaseh, Al-Sukari, Bustan Al-Qaser, Alqaterji, and Marjeh”, which left many casualties and led to the destruction of property.

There was some confusion over who was responsible for the raids. In a later report, Qasioun news blamed only Russia, saying that the “Russian warplanes bombardment circle was expanded to affect neighbourhoods (Al-Mash’had, Alsakhur, and Kallaseh) in the city of Aleppo, causing significant destruction of civilian property, without news of casualties.”

In a tweet, Damascus Coordinate named one of the killed civilians as Abdul-Kader Mohammed Al-Masri (13 years), saying that the child “was killed and four were injured in an air raid on Al-Sakhur.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Abdul-Kader Mohammed Al-Masri
13 years old male
Name unknown
Age unknown

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 5
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Aftermath of the airstrikes targeting al-Sakhour, Aleppo (via Mahmoodtaha22 tweet)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

The Kremlin has issued no public accounts of airstrikes in Syria from April 1st – 30th.

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 child1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS849

Incident date

June 4, 2016

Location

كفر حلب, Kafr Halab, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.062057, 36.871512 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A family of five died in an airstrike on the village of Kafr Halab, according to local sources – though reports were conflicted as to whether Russia or the Syrian regime were responsible.

The White Helmets reported that a family of five died and several other civilians were injured alleged Russian strikes on Kafr Halab. It also said that members of their team were hit by one of the strikes during the rescue operation in which they removed hundreds of cluster bombs which did not explode.

Other sources said that Russia dropped cluster bombs on the village.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights published images showing remnants of clusters munitions fired by “government warplanes”.

Eldorar also blamed the regime for killing a family of five.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (4)

Ahmad Mohammed Al-Rahmoun
Adult male "displaced from Halfaya, was killed with his wife and children when his house was targetted in Kafr Halab”, though the source didn’t say who was responsible" killed
Wife of Ahmad Mohammed Al-Rahmoun
Adult female killed
Child of Ahmad Mohammed Al-Rahmoun
Child killed
Child of Ahmad Mohammed Al-Rahmoun
Child killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (2 children1 woman1 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
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (15) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (8) [ collapse]

  • The White Helmets attend the scene of an alleged Russian strike in which a family of five died in Kafr Halab, June 4th. (via White Helmets)
  • Remnants of cluster bombs in the village of Kafr Halab (via SN4HR)
  • Ahmad Mohammed Al-Rahmoun, a displaced person from Halfaya, allegedly killed when his house was targeted in Kafr Halab. His wife and two children were also reported killed.
  • White Helmets remove cluster bomb that did not explode in Kafr Halab (via White Helmets Facebook)
  • Safely removed cluster bombs that did not explode in Kafr Halab (via White Helmets Facebook)
  • A white helmet worker in Kafra Halab (Via White Helmet Facebook)
  • "Death of a family of five people and a number of injuries, following the targeting of the town of kafr halab in western aleppo countryside by Russian Aviation, who also targeted civil defence team during their work and nobody got hurt. Thank God .." (via White Helmet Facebook)
  • The White Helmet rescue team survey buildings destroyed. (via White Helmet Facebook)

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 June 1st – 31st 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
  • (2 children1 woman1 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
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (15) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3589

Incident date

February 19, 2019

Location

خان شيخون, Khan Sheikhoun, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

In a renewed artillery bombardment of Khan Sheikhoun, between four and five civilians were killed, including three from one family, and others were injured, following a strike on a bakery.

Sources were conflicted as to who was to blame, some attributing blame Russia, while others blamed the Syrian regime.

Huge fires broke out, according to video evidence published by Alarbay.

There were no specific numbers of wounded reported.

As many as 50 shells were fired on the vicinity, according to local media.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Bahaa Hassan Qatini, بهاء حسن قطيني
killed
Ahmad Dia'a Qatini أحمد ضياء قطيني
killed
Dia'a Qatini ضياء قطيني
killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 5
  • (2–4 children)
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • An artillery bombardement on Khan Sheikhoun, 19th February 2019. (via Ahrar)
  • A news bulletin reporting on the artillery bombardement on Khan Sheikhoun, 19th February 2019. (via Orient News)
  • A news bulletin reporting on the artillery bombardement on Khan Sheikhoun, 19th February 2019. (via JisirTV)
  • The aftermath of the artillery bombardement on Khan Sheikhoun, 19th February 2019. (via Alaraby)

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 – 31st 2019.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 5
  • (2–4 children)
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS025

Incident date

October 7, 2015

Location

دارة عزة, Darat Izza, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.28247, 36.85216 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A mother and her two children were killed along with another woman in a suspected Russian cruise missile strike on the town of Darat Izza.

Amnesty International later reported: “More than six residential buildings with at least a dozen homes were destroyed by the attack according to an eyewitness interviewed by Amnesty International as well as reports of human rights organisations. Information provided by local human rights defenders, Syrian human rights organisations and video clips of the aftermath of the attack reviewed by Amnesty International indicated that there was widespread destruction and damage but no military casualties nor any armed presence in the town.”

The dead were later named by Al Kanana Hospital and VDC.

Russia claimed ‘civilian objects were not damaged‘ by 26 cruise missiles fired that day.  According to Amnesty, “The Ministry of Defence did not clarify the exact locations of the strikes, but a map in a video that it released indicates that one of the strike points was in or in the immediate vicinity of Darat Izza. Weapons experts advised Amnesty International that images of remnants of the missile indicated that it was of a model used by the Russian navy, a Novatur 3M14 Kalibr-NK.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (4)

Jouideh Naser Bazar
Adult female Mother of Talal and Safa killed
Talal Mohammad Bazar
Child male killed
Safa Mohammad Bazar
Child female killed
Lina al-Loudaama
Adult female killed

The victims were named as:

Lina al-Loudaama
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 5
  • (2 children2 women)
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Talal Mohammad Bazar, shortly before his death from injuries sustained in an alleged Russian airstrike, Darat Izza Oct 7th 2015 (via al Kanana Hospital)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Safa Mohammad Bazaz, killed in an alleged Russian strike Darat Izza Oct 7th 2015 (via al Kanana Hospital)
  • 'Fragment of a Russian cruise missile' recovered at Darat Izza October 7th 2015 (via Amnesty)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Darrat Izza, for which the generic coordinates are: 36.28247, 36.85216. 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
Official source

Russia made no specific reference to strikes in Aleppo for October 7th 2015.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 5
  • (2 children2 women)
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS379

Incident date

January 12, 2016

Location

سراقب, Saraqib, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.864249, 36.804977 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Four to five civilians including four women and one child were killed in an airstrike on Saraqib, according to multiple reports. While most sources blame Russia for the attack, others claim the Assad regime was responsible.

Shaam News said Russian forces carried out a “massacre” in which five non-combatants including children died. It reported that this was one of three incidents in Idlib on this day, the others being in Ma’arat al Nu’man and Sarmada.

Al Hall reported that “scores of civilians were killed, on Tuesday, and wounded more than a hundred others, a result of air strikes Russian warplanes, which targeted the cities and towns of Idlib countryside“, but they said that the Assad regime was responsible for the raid on Saraqib, which killed five civilians, including an unborn child in a mother’s womb, and left a number wounded. After two other incidents in Idlib on this day, activists said that hospitals were filled with wounded people and that there was an acute shortage of medical supplies.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights also blamed regime warplanes – again putting the death toll at five.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that the number killed in Idlib had risen to 43 including four children and six women – blaming Russia and saying that the number of deaths was likely to rise due to the severity of injuries sustained in the three attacks.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Alaa Haj Musa
Adult female killed
Watfe Haj Musa
Adult female killed
Rahaf Haj Musa
Adult female killed

The victims were named as:

Nermin Habeeb
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 5
  • (0–1 children4 women)
  • 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 (1) [ 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
    4 – 5
  • (0–1 children4 women)
  • 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

RS507

Incident date

January 29, 2016

Location

محيميدة, Mahimideh, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

35.44294, 40.08619 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Four civilians died in an alleged Russian raid on Mahimideh, according to local sources.

Three victims were named by Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently including one unidentified person.

 

 

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mohammad al Suleiman
Age unknown named by Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently killed
Abd Al Karim Al Badr
Age unknown named by Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently killed
Ahmad Khaled Al Sa’ad
Age unknown “from the village of Safira”, named by Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently killed
Salef El Khalaf El Yassin
Age unknown a local veterinarian, died of injuries sustained in the attack two days later. killed
Mahmoud Albejeen
Age unknown injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

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…Long-range bomber aviation aircraft supported units of the Syrian governmental troops which defended the city of Deir ez-Zor. The airstrikes carried out by Tu-22M3 bombers from the territory of the Russian Federation jointly with tactical aviation from the Hmeymim airbase, engaged 23 important terrorists’ objects in that district. The attempt of terrorists to assault Deir ez-Zor was frustrated.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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]