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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Russian Military
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Incident Code

RS709

Incident date

March 6, 2016

Location

فيحان, Faihan, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.2000000, 37.6000000 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Province/governorate level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between eight and 17 civilians died in a strike on Faihan according to local sources – though reports are conflicted as to whether Russia or the Assad regime were responsible.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that four non-combatants including two children from the same family died when suspected Russian warplanes fired missiles on the village of Faihan in Aleppo governorate. Baladi put the death toll at 17 with 20 injured, and also blamed Russia.

Other sources, including Step news Agency, said that eight died due to “shelling with cluster bombs”, but didn’t identify the culprit.

But Syria2011 reported that “regime warplanes carried out shelling in Fihan, Shahnasa, Fikha and Um Kharza near Deir Hafer”. Fresh Syria also attributed the incident to the regime, reporting that “eight civilians died and a number were wounded as a result of  cluster bombs fired by the Assad regime forces targeting Faihan village.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8 – 17
  • (2 children)
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Victim of the strikes targeting Faihan village (Via Baladi News)

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 for March 1st to March 30th.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8 – 17
  • (2 children)
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS741

Incident date

March 23, 2016

Location

دير الزور, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

Ten civilians including four children died in airstrikes on Deir ez-Zor, according to local sources. Most reports blame the Assad regime.

Shaam News said the strikes had been carried out by “Syrian and Russian planes”. It reported 20 injured non-combatants in addition to the ten killed.

However, both Step News Agency and Baladi said that the regime was responsible. Baladi reported media sources from the province as saying “that warplanes bombed Khasarat, the old airport and the area around the roundabout Ghassan Abboud in Deir ez-Zor city center.” It added that the injured included three children who had their legs amputated.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ra’ed Hamoud Al-Sabri
Age unknown male killed
Ahmad Safwan Al-Hweij
Child male killed
Massa Jihad Al-Sha’ban Al-Hanadah
Child female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10
  • (4 children1 man)
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Ahmad Safwan Al-Hweij, victim of the air strikes targeting Deir Ez-Zor (via KhHweij twitter)

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 for March 1st to March 30th.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    10
  • (4 children1 man)
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS773

Incident date

April 28, 2016

Location

حي بستان القصر, Bustan al Qasr (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.19569, 37.14229 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to 20 civilians including four children died in airstrikes on Bustam al Qasr, according to local sources – though reports were conflicted as to whether this was the work of Russia or the Assad regime.

The White Helmets initially reported that “more than 20 martyrs and dozens wounded as well as an entire residential building destroyed when warplanes targeted homes in bustan al qasr with vacuum missiles“, though they did not say who was responsible.

However, a second report blamed the regime, and put the death toll at 12 with 30 wounded.

Reports by the Syrian Network for Human Rights also blamed the regime.

But in a later report, SN4HR changed its position and blamed Russia, saying that of the nine killed four were children.

In a summary of Russian raids carried out on April 28th, LCCSY also said 12 had died.

Shaam News referred to both regime and Russian planes carrying out strikes in Aleppo in recent days, and did not specify which of these was responsible.

However, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights the regime was responsible for all incidents in Aleppo over the previous seven days. Al-qurum Media Institution also blamed the regime, and spoke of 12 killed and more than 30 injured.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Rawan Zakria Hamo
8 years old female killed
Zakria Ahmad Ibrahim Hamo
50 years old male killed
Othman Zakria Ahmad Ibrahim Hamo
Child male killed

The victims were named as:

Rahaf Hayek
5 years old female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    9 – 20
  • (4 children1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–30
  • 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 (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (8) [ collapse]

  • A victim is removed from the rubble following a strike on Bustan al Qasr, April 28th (via SN4HR)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Child victim of one of the many airstrikes targeting Aleppo on April 28, including in Basten al-Qasr (via the White Helmets)
  • Civil defense workers trying to rescue civilians from under the rubble after one of the many airstrikes targeting Aleppo on April 28, including in Basten al-Qasr (via the White Helmets)
  • Civil defense workers trying to rescue civilians from under the rubble after one of the many airstrikes targeting Aleppo on April 28, including in Basten al-Qasr (via the White Helmets)
  • Civil defense workers trying to rescue civilians from under the rubble after one of the many airstrikes targeting Aleppo on April 28, including in Basten al-Qasr (via the White Helmets)
  • Civil defense workers trying to rescue civilians from under the rubble after one of the many airstrikes targeting Aleppo on April 28, including in Basten al-Qasr (via the White Helmets)
  • Civil defense workers trying to rescue civilians from under the rubble after one of the many airstrikes targeting Aleppo on April 28, including in Basten al-Qasr (via the White Helmets)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Footage of the aerial strikes and the aftermath as they targeted Basten al-Qasr (via HNN)

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
    9 – 20
  • (4 children1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–30
  • 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 (14) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS806

Incident date

May 24, 2016

Location

Afrin-Darat Azza road, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.3402953, 36.8411064 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to reports by the Shaam News Network and multiple other sources, Russian airstrikes targeted the road between Afrin and Darat Azza destroying fuel transport trucks, and killing two drivers and injuring several other civilians in the vicinity. The reports noted that this road was considered to be a “humanitarian corridor” and “one of the most important lifelines in northern Syria“.

Most sources blamed Russia for the raids, or did not identify the warplanes. Syria Mirror said it was the work of the regime.

At present no names of victims have been confirmed. However photographs of a civilian that was killed were made available by @mazenaloush on Twitter and the Syria Mirror. Syria-news has also reported that ten civilians were wounded in the raids.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (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 (16) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The truck driver was killed in the air strike
  • The road between Afreen and Darat Ezza, photo courtesy of Zaman Masdar news.

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The truck driver who was killed in the air strike
  • An oil truck on fire

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
    2
  • (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 (16) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS839

Incident date

June 3, 2016

Location

حي الصالحين, Salheen (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1807701, 37.167263 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to seven civilians died in an air or artillery strike on Salheen, according to local reports – though sources were conflicted as to whether Russia or the Syrian regime were to blame.

The Shaam News Network reported on alleged Russian raids with warplanes and helicopters across Aleppo and its surrounding countryside. It said that this coincided with “violent artillery shelling“, killing seven civilians in the Salheen neighborhood.

According to Syrian pc, “regime helicopters threw two explosive barrels on AL-Salheen which caused death of one civilian and injured two more.”

Rozana -fm reported that “Russian and Syrian warplanes launched many raids on various neighbours today including Alsalheen, Al-castello, Bei’deen Bustan Al-Qasir, Al-Ansari, Bab Al-neyrab, Tariq Al-Bab, Masakin Hananon which caused the death of 32 civilians and wounded tens more.”

Aawsat blamed Russian and regime warplanes for killing seven non-combatants.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

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

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • A civilian girl pulled from the rubble by The White Helmets following alleged Russian warplane strikes on Salheen, Aleppo (Youtube by AMC)
  • Civilian girl is pulled from rubble by White Helmets in Salheen. Twitter account susupened, screengrab accessed via Airwars archive.

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 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
    1 – 7
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS871

Incident date

June 7, 2016

Location

ياقد العدس, Yaqid al Adas, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.2645222, 37.0187463 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian was killed and several others injured when Russian warplanes struck Yaqid al Adas with cluster bombs, according to local sources.

LCCSY, Syrianpc and Baladi were among sources blaming Russia.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that warplanes carried out raids on Yaqid al Adas, but did not provide any further details.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–3
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]

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.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–3
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS903

Incident date

June 14, 2016

Location

Various locations in Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.2000000, 37.6000000 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Province/governorate level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A single source, the Shaam News Network, reported that “Russian planes launched raids on the villages of Zeitan, al Zirba, Al Karassi, Khan Tuman, Al I’ss, Jib Kass and Aleppo – Damascus road – leading the fall of civilian martyrs and wounded.” No further details are currently available.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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 strikes between June 1st – 31st 2016.

Summary

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

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS937

Incident date

June 25, 2016

Location

معارة الارتيق, Maarat al Arteek, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.247681, 37.053483 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

An alleged Russia airstrike killed up to two civilians and left a number of others wounded in the city of Maarat al-Artiq, local media reported.

Multiple sources blamed Russia for the event, though several referred only to “warplanes”.

According to @HalabNewsN there were two Russian strikes.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • 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 (12) [ 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 June 1st – 31st 2016.

Summary

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