Russian Military in Syria

Russian Military in Syria

A Russian combat aircraft at Khmeimim airbase in Syria being prepared for action. (Russian Ministry of Defence)

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Incident Code

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]

Incident Code

R4500

Incident date

January 22, 2023

Location

كفرنوران, Kafr Noran, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

A civilian woman was killed and at least one other civilian, a child, was injured by alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime shelling of the town of Kafr Noran on January 22, 2023.

According to the @SyriaCivilDefe, a woman was killed by artillery shelling carried out by the Syrian regime and Russian forces in Kafr Noran. The Civil Defense volunteers inspected the sites and made sure there were no additional casualties.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported that a woman was killed, placing her age in her 30s, but attributed the shelling to only the Syrian regime. @anasanas84 provided the woman’s name: Mrs. Maha Abdan, 30.

Syria TV added that in addition to the woman killed, her child was also injured while @thiqanewsagency referenced “others” wounded but did not specify how many.

Sources were conflicted as to who was responsible for the shelling, with the majority attributing the shelling to the Syrian regime, including Syria TV which specifically pinpointed the shelling as coming from their positions in the town of Miznaz. However, the Syrian Civil Defense blamed both the Syrian regime and Russian forces.

Both @anasanas84 and @alatareb identified mortar shells as being used in the attack.

The incident occured in the evening.

The victims were named as:

Maha Abdan مها عبدان
30 years old female killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • 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 attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • Damage caused by alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime shelling of Kafr Noran on January 22, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime shelling of Kafr Noran on January 22, 2023. (Image posted by @alatareb)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime shelling of Kafr Noran on January 22, 2023. (Image posted by @alatareb)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime shelling of Kafr Noran on January 22, 2023. (Image posted by @alatareb)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime shelling of Kafr Noran on January 22, 2023. (Image posted by @alatareb)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • 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 attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

R4532

Incident date

July 14, 2023

Location

سرمين, Sarmin, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

On the morning of Friday, July 14th 2023, at least one civilian, a woman, was injured and a fire broke out in a disused poultry farm when Russian and/or Syrian regime forces allegedly shelled the residential neighborhoods and outskirts of the town of Sarmin, south-east of Idlib, with heavy artillery fire. The injured woman was treated and taken to hospital by the Syrian Civil Defence, the fires were put out and the area secured.

@Najdat567 claimed that the shelling led to several injuries and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that a man and a woman were injured and taken to hospital as a result of the shelling. The Syrian Civil Defence, amongst other sources, claimed that just one woman was injured and that the SCD “made sure that there were no other civilian casualties.”

Baladi News reported that the fire took place in a residential house in Sarmin while the Syrian Civil Defence posted pictures of the fire in the disused poultry farm.

Baladi News also reported that the shelling coincided with the flight of a number of Russian reconnaissance planes, Syrian regime and Iranian forces over the bombed areas.

Idleb Online claimed that the shelling was against militants’ locations and movements along the road between the towns of Sarmin and Nayrab as well as the village of Afes, east of Idlib.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Agriculture
  • 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 (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • Civil Defense volunteers responded to alleged Russian or Syrian regime shelling of Sarmin on July 14, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Civil Defense volunteers responded to alleged Russian or Syrian regime shelling of Sarmin on July 14, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Civil Defense volunteers responded to alleged Russian or Syrian regime shelling of Sarmin on July 14, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Civil Defense volunteers responded to alleged Russian or Syrian regime shelling of Sarmin on July 14, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Alleged Russian or Syrian regime shelling of Sarmin on July 14, 2023. (Image posted by @idleb_online)
  • Al-Assad gangs stationed at the surrounding checkpoints shelled with heavy artillery and launchers the vicinity of the town of Sarmin, east of Idlib, which led to several injuries
  • Alleged Russian or Syrian regime shelling of Sarmin on July 14, 2023. (Image posted by @hadikhraat)

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 infrastructure
    Agriculture
  • 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 (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

R4555

Incident date

September 13, 2023

Location

آفس, Afes, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

A woman was left injured in Afes, Idlib by artillery shelling allegedly fired by the Syrian regime and/or Russian military on September 13, 2023.

The woman had fainted after being struck by shrapnel, according to Shaam News — who labeled the Syrian regime as the perpetrator. Some other sources, including Al Mohrar, said the shelling came from the Russian military.

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
  • 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
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military 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
  • 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
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS037 RS1814

Incident date

January 1, 2017

Location

تادف, Tadef, Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.34857, 37.531501 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between one and 11 civilians were reported killed in alleged air and artillery shelling on Tedef. Sources are conflicted as to who was to blame. According to Syrianewsdesk however, “the shelling on Tadef killed eight people, including five civilians and others belonging to the organisation (Turkish armed forces)”. Between six and ten civilians were wounded in the raid. Only two sources blamed Russian warplanes including LCCSY and Kawakibi Human Rights Organisation. Many others blamed the Syrian regime for the shelling and the rest have attributed blame to Turkey. 

Ara News gave the lowest death count: “Turkish artillery targeted residential areas in Tedef which killed a civilian and injured eight others”.

Jisr TV accused the Syrian regime of the attack, saying that “five civilians were killed and wounded in a massacre by the regime in the town of Tedef, Aleppo.”

Abass2233 posted on Twitter that “five civilians were killed and others injured as a result of artillery shelling from the Euphrates Shield forces targeting the town of Tedef in the eastern Aleppo countryside.”

LCCSY reported 11 people were killed and blamed Russia for the attack.

According to sources, wounded civilians were transported to medical facilities following the raid. Additionally, it was made clear by sources on the ground that some of the wounded were critically so.

Syrianewsdesk specified that as many as 50 shells were dropped on Tedef, with 10 of them targeting residential housing on the outskirts of the town.

The incident occured at 14:15:00 local time.

The victims were named as:

Abdul Karim Kenan
Age unknown male killed
Omar Hamsho
Age unknown male killed
Yousef Abdul Qadir Al - Sheikh
Age unknown male killed
Son of Ahmed Yousef Hamsho
Age unknown male killed
Son of Mohammed Yousef Hamsho
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 11
  • (5 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    6–10
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Turkish Military, Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Report on the five civilians killed and others wounded in the town of Tadef, Aleppo due to alleged alleged Turkish, Russian and Syrian regime raids. (via JisirTV)
  • The aftermath of an alleged alleged Turkish, Russian and Syrian regime airstrike in Tadef, 1st January 2017. (via Kawakibi Human Rights Organisation Documentation)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Coalition, Syrian regime and Russian airstrike in Tadef, 1st January 2017. (via Kawakibi Human Rights Organisation)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A victim of the alleged Turkish, Russian and Syrian regime raid on Tadef, 1st January 2017. (via Abo Alforat)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An injured victim of the alleged Turkish, Russian and Syrian regime raid on Tadef, 1st January 2017. (via Abo Alforat)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Tadef, Aleppo (تادف), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.34857, 37.531501. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Turkish Military Assessment:

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

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 11
  • (5 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    6–10
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Turkish Military, Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS029

Incident date

October 8, 2015

Location

جسر الشغور, Jisr al Shughour, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.81425, 36.319812 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian was reported killed at Jisr al Shughour. However, the cause was contested. While VDC blamed the attack on Russian forces, Radio al Kul, SOHR and Qasioun blamed the death on “regime heavy artillery.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Marwan al Ahmad
Adult male VDC reported him killed due to Russian strikes. killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • 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]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia reported a total of 22 lethal sorties for October 8th 2015, although made no mention of Idlib governorate.

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 man)
  • 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

RS062

Incident date

October 20, 2015

Location

كفر تخاريم, Kafr Takharim, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

36.1168, 36.51522 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A reported Russian airstrike on an empty school complex allegedly killed up to a dozen people, according to reports.

Reporting from Sarmin, Orient News reporter Abu Mahmoud described the event: “Russian occupation forces targeted the town of Sarmeen with steric missiles. The target was a children’s school.. they are two schools next to each other, a primary school and a secondary school. Luckily the children had gone home half an hour earlier.”

There are elements of this description which match the previous event at Sarmin, and it appears this incident may have been confused with the former.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    12
  • Civilians reported injured
    10
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • A photo taken of twitter account @AEJkhalil. translation: School bombed by #Russia airstrikes today in #Kafr_Takharim, 12 martyrs & dozens were wounded.. #Idlib #Syria Oct 20

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 confirmed carrying out strikes in Idlib governorate for October 20th-21st 2015: “In the course of the last 24 hours, aircraft of the Russian air group in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 46 combat sorties engaging 83 terrorist facilities in the Hama, Idlib, Damascus, Aleppo and Deir ez-Zor provinces.“

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    12
  • Civilians reported injured
    10
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (3) [ collapse]