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

RS1415

Incident date

October 8, 2016

Location

البلاط, al Balat, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.197343, 37.171533 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to local media, the neighbourhood al-Balat in Aleppo was hit by air and/or artillery strikes which led to the death of one child and the injury of several more people, including the child’s father. Sources were conflicted as to whether this was the work of Russia or the Assad regime, although the majority of reports pointed to the regime.

Syrian Press Center reported that “the regime targeted Al-Balat neighbourhood with surface to surface missiles and killed a child and wounded his father after midnight – Friday and early Saturday”.

Most of the sources pointed to the Assad regime as the responsible – these were Syriamubasher, jsirtv, Syrian Press Center, Sky News Arabic, Smart News and Palestine today.

However, two sources – Orient News and LCCSY – attributed the strike to Russia.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

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

Sources (11) [ 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 October 1st – 19th 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
  • (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

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1447

Incident date

October 13, 2016

Location

‏التمانعه‬, al Tamana, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.458501, 36.747808 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One woman died and three other civilians including two children were wounded in an alleged Russian or regime air or artillery strike on Al Tamana’a town, according to local media.

The Step News Agency reported that “Russian planes launched several raids using bunker-busting missiles after mid night targeting al Taman’a town in southern Idlib, killing a woman and injuring three others”.

Tr_spm, Jisrtv and RFS media office reported that regime artillery shelled Al Tamana’a.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Khaled Al-Agha
Child injured
Wafa’a Al-Agha
Child injured
Ahmad Al-Agha
injured

The victims were named as:

Ansaf Al-Mur’i
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • 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 (22) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • White Helmets and other civilians help to rescue civilians trapped in their homes following an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Al Tamana, Oct 13th (via Qasioun)
  • Damage to a car in the immediate aftermath of the alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid. (via Altamana)
  • Civilian rescue at night in the immediate aftermath of the alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid. (via Altamana)
  • Civilian rescue at night in the immediate aftermath of the alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid. (via Altamana)
  • Civilian rescue at night in the immediate aftermath of the alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid. (via Altamana)
  • An image depicting the exact moment the raid hit Al Tamana, Oct 13th (via Anapress)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Al Tamana’a (التمانعه), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.458501, 36.747808. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

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 October 1st – 19th 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
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • 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 (22) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1479

Incident date

October 18, 2016

Location

جديد عكيدات, Jadid Akeidat, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.254309, 40.355344 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Syria News Desk reported “two civilians were killed and 12 others wounded, including three paramedics, this afternoon [Oct 18th], when Russian warplanes fired four missiles on residential sites and the only field hospital in the village of Jadid Ekadat”.

@snewscenter also said that Russia struck the hospital.They also reported the use of cluster bombs.

Many other sources reported the strike but didn’t identify the culprit.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    Healthcare facility
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    12
  • 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 (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • A small field hospital damaged in the alleged Russian raid on Jadid Akeidat, Oct 18th (via Jisirtv)

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 October 1st – 19th 2016.

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    Healthcare facility
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    12
  • 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 (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1511

Incident date

October 28, 2016

Location

سرمين, Sarmin, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.904042, 36.726111 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A single source, Halab News, reported the deaths of “Abdallah al Hasan al Khalaf and his two children, following the explosion of a cluster bomb left by Russia planes following a bombing of Sarmin in Idlib”. The source added that the victims were from the town of al Eiss.

No further details are currently available.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Abdallah al Hasan al Khalaf
Adult male killed
Child of Abdallah al Hasan al Khalaf 1
Child killed
Child of Abdallah al Hasan al Khalaf 2
Child killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (2 children1 man)
  • 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

On 20th October 2016, the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation reported on the decisions made aimed towards stabilising the situation in Aleppo.

""Today, strikes by the Russian Aerospace Forces and the Syrian Air Force are finished at 10:00 (MSK) in the area of Aleppo. Early termination of the airstrikes is essential for holding a “humanitarian pause” on October 20, 2016”, said General of the Army Sergei Shoigu. According to him, it will allow to guarantee security of civilians leaving the city through 6 humanitarian corridors and to prepare casualty and medical evacuation from the eastern part of Aleppo.
“We apply to the leadership of countries influencing on armed formations active in the eastern part of Aleppo with a proposal to convince their leaders to stop warfare and leave the city,” stated the Minister of Defence.
According to General of the Army Sergei Shoigu, by the start of the “humanitarian pause” the Syrian troops will have been withdrawn to the distance safe for insurgents to leave the city with weapons through two special corridors: one – along the Kastello road, second – in the area of Suk al-Hai market."

Summary

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

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1764

Incident date

December 6, 2016

Location

حَاسٌّ, Haas, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.616349, 36.593399 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians – a woman and a child – died and several more were wounded in an alleged Russian or Assad regime airstrike on Haas, according to local media.

The Shaam News Network reported: “Today, [Dec 6th] violent Russian raids deliberately targeting civilians led to the fall of four martyrs and a number of wounded in the town of Kafr Sajna. And a woman and a child were killed in the town of Haas.”

But according to the Syrian Network for Human Rights and Syria News Desk the regime was responsible.

SN4HR reported:  “a girl and a woman died due to government warplanes missiles fired on Hass town in Idlib governorate southern suburbs, December 6, 2016.”

 

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Wife of Ahmed Mari Al-Daif
Adult female killed
Marwa Al-Daif
Age unknown killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 child1 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 (16) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • 'The warplanes targeted the village of Hass in the countryside Idlib with rockets, and civil defense teams rushed to the sites targeted to evacuate civilians'
  • 'Two martyrs and a number of wounded, including women, as a result of the warplanes targeting the town of # Haas countryside # Idlib'

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Haas (حَاسٌّ), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.616349,36.593399. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

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.”

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 child1 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 (16) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS4505

Incident date

June 8, 2020

Location

الموزرة , Al-Muzarra, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

At least two civilians were killed and between three and four civilians, including a woman, were injured in an airstrike allegedly carried out by Russian forces on the town of Al-Muzarra in Idlib province on June 8, 2020.

A number of sources state that two males, Hussein Ali al Abboud and 32-year-old Mustafa Abdul Raouf al Hamshou, were the two civilians killed. Several sources state that those injured were members of the same family, and that some were trapped under rubble. Baladi News and Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that one civilian was killed but specified that this was a preliminary outcome.

Smart News reported that three other civilians were injured while Baladi News put the number of injured at four. @IdlibPlus also specified that one woman was among the injured. Several sources state that those injured were members of the same family, and that some were trapped under rubble. The civil defense and rescue teams worked to rescue them to the medical points near the area to provide them with the necessary treatment.

Sources state that alleged Russian airstrikes were carried out in coordination with shelling from the Syrian regime in the surrounding area, and they likewise maintain that this constitutes a breach of a previous ceasefire. It is unclear whether the Russian strikes or the regime shelling resulted in the civilian casualties.

The incident occured in the afternoon.

The victims were named as:

Hussein Ali Al-Abdo حسين علي العبدو
Adult male Al-Abdo (or Al Abboud) killed
Mustafa Abdul Raouf al Hamshou مصطفى عبد الرؤوف الحمشو
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–4
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (36) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • "Two civilians were killed and three others were wounded, including a woman, this afternoon, as a result of Russian warplanes targeting three air strikes, targeting civilian homes in the town of Al-Mozarah in Jabal Al-Zawiya."
  • "The death of two civilians and the injury of three others, including a woman, this afternoon Monday, June 8th, as a result of the bombing by Russian warplanes with three air strikes, the homes of civilians in the town of Al-Muzarra in Jabal Al-Zawiya, south of Idlib, while a civilian was wounded by a missile strike targeting the town of Kastoun, west of Hama.
  • Civil Defense volunteers rescuing civilians after alleged three Russian air strikes on the homes of civilians in the town of Al-Muzarra in Jabal Al-Zawiya, south of Idlib, June 8th, 2020. (via SCD)
  • Civil Defense volunteers rescuing civilians after alleged three Russian air strikes on the homes of civilians in the town of Al-Muzarra in Jabal Al-Zawiya, south of Idlib, June 8th, 2020. (via @IdlibPlus).
  • Airstrikes om Al-Muzarra on June 8, 2020. (Image posted by @anasanas84 )
  • Airstrikes om Al-Muzarra on June 8, 2020. (Image posted by @mhmadtr)
  • Mustafa Abdul Raouf al Hamshou, killed in Airstrikes om Al-Muzarra on June 8, 2020. (Image posted by Mohammed Al Hussein via Facebook)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–4
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (36) [ collapse]

Incident Code

R4424

Incident date

December 6, 2021

Location

الباره, Al-Bara, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.68599, 36.54239 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least one civilian was injured in alleged Russian or regime shelling of the town of Al-Bara on December 6, 2021.

According to Syrian Civil Defense, a civilian was wounded in artillery shelling by the regime and Russian forces on the town of Al-Bara. Watan FM also reported that a civilian was injured.

A tweet from@Click_Syria reports that raids were carried out on Hayat Tahrir al-Sham positions in Al-Bara but do not mention any casualties.

Activist Mustafa Al-Mohammed told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that Russian raids caused material damage to civilian property around the village of Al-Bara.

A Facebook post by Mari Al Boukamal refers to vacuum missiles being used in the attack and attributed the missiles to Russia while @shibl91 mentioned Krasnipol laser bombs. However, @baladinetwork blamed the regime for the strikes.

The incident occured in the morning.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (21) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • White Helmets inspect the site of shelling on Al-Bara on December 6, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Civil Defense)
  • Strikes on the town of Al-Bara on December 6, 2021. (Image posted by Mari Al Boukamal via Facebook)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Al Bara (الباره), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.68599, 36.54239. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

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
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (21) [ collapse]

Incident Code

R4464

Incident date

September 3, 2022

Location

الفطيرة, Al Fatira, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

At least one elderly woman was injured when alleged Russian or regime artillery shelling struck the town of Al Fatira on September 3, 2022.

According to @SyriaCivilDefe, an elderly woman was injured by artillery shelling carried out by the regime and Russian forces on civilian homes in the town of Al Fatira. The Civil Defense volunteers took the injured elderly woman to the hospital.

A tweet from @Amaar77Dyab referred to “civilian casualties” in Al Fatira but did not specify how many and whether they were injured or killed.

@abojrhom, a pro-regime source, tweeted that the shelling targeted the “locations and movements of terrorists” without providing details of who was killed or injured.

Activist Mustafa Muhammad told Al Araby that the Syrian regime forces intensified shelling of various villages and towns including Al Fatira, which coincided with the continuous flight of Russian reconnaissance planes. The majority of other sources that reported on the incident also attributed the shelling to the regime forces, while @Almohrar1 and @ibrahim78197182 attributed the shelling to Russian forces and the Syrian Civil Defense blamed both Russian and regime forces.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (15) [ collapse]

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
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (15) [ collapse]