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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Syria
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Incident Code

RS955

Incident date

June 29, 2016

Location

سراقب, Saraqib, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.859101, 36.797731 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to four civilians including a child died and as many as five more were wounded in airstrikes on the outskirts of Saqabib, according to local sources – though reports were conflicted as to whether Russia or the Syrian regime were to blame.

LCCSY, Syria News Desk, Qasioun and al-AMAWI blamed Russia.  

Regarding the scope of the strike, a media opposition activist called Mohamed Ali from the countryside of Idlib, told Syria News Desk that “the air force carried out four raids the northern outskirts of the city. The injured were transported via ambulance teams to a border hospital with Turkey, The strikes caused widespread destruction to property”.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights was the only source to blame the Syrian Regime.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 4
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–5
  • 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]

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 – 4
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–5
  • 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

RS1273

Incident date

September 17, 2016

Location

تلبيسة, Talbisah, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.8420186, 36.711974 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between two and four civilians were killed by shelling from Assad’s forces on the city of Talbisah, local sources said. Two casualties were identified by name, a child and a woman.

Eldorar News stated that three civilians were killed, while RozanaFM stated “at least two women” died from regime shells.

All4Syria News named five total deaths in Talbissa on this date, two from shelling and three from a previously unexploded Russian cluster bomb (previous entry). Smart News described the raid as “Killing four civilians and wounding eight others”.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights, Smart News, Al Jazeera, and Sky News Arabia, among others, reported casualties from Russian airstrikes.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Alaa al Kassab
12 years old male killed
Khouloud Alloush
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 4
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–8
  • 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]

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 September 1st – 30th 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 4
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–8
  • 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

RS1638

Incident date

November 19, 2016

Location

الفردوس, Al Fardous, Aleppo, Aleppo , Syria

Geolocation

36.180995, 37.151892 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to four civilians, including two children and one woman, were killed and as many as 15 more were injured following airstrikes targeting al-Fardous, Aleppo, local sources reported.  The sources were, however, not clear as to whether the Syrian regime or Russia were to blame for the strikes.

Sources reported that between two and four civilians were killed in the strikes, while one source, @aboalhodaalhoms, mentioned that two children and one woman were among the victims. The same source also reported the highest number of wounded,15, while one other source merely referred to “several” wounded. 

HNN attributed the incident to Russia while Sky News blamed both the Syrian regime and Russia. But most of the sources did not identify the culprit.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 4
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–15
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Chaotic aftermath of the strikes targeting al-Ferdous, Aleppo, November 19, 2016 (via Aleppo SDC)
  • Chaotic aftermath of the strikes targeting al-Ferdous, Aleppo, November 19, 2016 (via AMC Aleppo)
  • Footage of the immediate aftermath of the contested strikes targeting al-Ferdous, Aleppo, November 19, 2016 (via @aboalhodaalhom)
  • Aftermath of contested strikes targeting al-Ferdous, Aleppo,November 19, 2016 (via @abomustafa1976)
  • Footage of the contested airstrikes as they are targeting al-Ferdous, Aleppo on November 19, 2016 (via Baladi News Network)

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

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.”

Additionally, Russia reported that its air forces have carried out strikes in Aleppo during November and December 2016.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 4
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–15
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2275

Incident date

June 7, 2017

Location

جب الجراح غنيمان, Ghneiman village, Jeb al Jrah district, 55 km east of Homs, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.765484, 37.439517 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Four civilians died, including a woman and a child, and six other non-combatants were wounded in an airstrike on Ghneiman in Homs, according to local media. Only one source, the Smart News Agency, pointed to Russia as the “likely” culprit; the other reports didn’t apportion blame of this event.

According to the Smart News Agency, “four civilians were killed and six others injured in an air strike on the town of Ghnaiman, 55 km east of the central city of Homs, a local activist told Smart on Wednesday [June 7th].

“The activist added that warplanes, likely to be Russian, bombed the houses of civilians in the village, killing four people, including a woman and a child, and wounding six others with varying injuries. The wounded were taken to eastern Deir al-Zour hospitals.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    6
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Unknown

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Unknown Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    6
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Unknown

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS388

Incident date

January 13, 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

An early morning airstrike killed four civilians including two women, with most sources blaming Russia. However the Damascus Centre said the regime was responsible.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Mazen Hamed,
Child male killed
Aya Hamad
Adult female killed
Hamad Al Hamad
Child male killed

The victims were named as:

Salwa Aforh
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (0–2 children2 women)
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • A news bulletin reporting on the alleged Russian and Syrian Regime raid in Al Bab on 13th January 2016. (via, Al Jisir TV)

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
  • (0–2 children2 women)
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS901

Incident date

June 14, 2016

Location

أورم الكبرى, Urma al Kubra, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1475457, 36.9448239 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between two and four civilians including one woman died and several others were injured in an alleged Russian airstrike on Urma al Kubra, according to local sources.

Most sources blamed Russia for the strike, putting the death toll at four.

According to @ShahbaPress, “two Palestinians were killed and wounded, including a woman in a Russian bombardment with cluster bombs”.

@Anasalhage said that a woman died and several other non-combatants were injured following the collapse of a building.

Shahed-ayan said that four died, though didn’t say who was responsible.

Similarly, a number of other sources didn’t identify the culprit.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 4
  • (1 woman)
  • 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 (22) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • "a raid by a warplane targeting Urma al Kubra led to the collapse of a building and several injuries one of them critical and fires raging in the targeted area. The civil defence team worked to put out the fires and evacuate the civilians" (via Aleppo White Helmets) [Page unavailable 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.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 4
  • (1 woman)
  • 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 (22) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1911

Incident date

February 19, 2017

Location

ام تينة , Umm Tine village, Maskana, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.188667, 37.769837 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Four victims (one adult male, one adult female and two children) were named by the VDC as killed by Russia in Umm Tine village, Maskana.

But the Syrian Network for Human Rights blamed the regime, reporting: “three civilians, including a girl and her mother, died when Syrian regime artillery shells fired on Om Tena village in Aleppo governorate eastern suburbs, February 19, 2017.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

wife of Faisal al-Awadh
Adult female killed
daughter of Faisal al-Awadh 1
Child female killed
daughter of Faisal al-Awadh 2
Child female killed

The victims were named as:

Abdul Razaq Abdul Ghani al-Obaid
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 4
  • (2 children1 woman1 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 (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • 'Halab Today TV video listing martyrs in Aleppo on 19/2/2017 @0’13” Maskana: Abd al Razzak Abd al Ghani al Obeid, Faisal al Awad’s wife and his daughter [in alleged Russian raids on the village of Umm Tine]'

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
    3 – 4
  • (2 children1 woman1 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 (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2081

Incident date

April 6, 2017

Location

الضاهرية, Dahiriya, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.878081, 36.520551 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two to four civilians were killed, and others were wounded, following an airstrike on Dahiriya. All sources blamed Russian warplanes for the raids.

Sources were conflicted as to whether the civilians killed were women or girls. For example, AMC reported two women were killed, whereas Al Jazeera reported two girls were killed. It cannot be ruled out that two women and two girls were killed.

An unspecific numbers of wounded civilians were reported wounded form multiple sources.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 4
  • (0–2 children0–2 women)
  • 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 (6) [ 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 April 1st – 31st 2017.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 4
  • (0–2 children0–2 women)
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]