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

Incident Code

RS2198

Incident date

April 28, 2017

Location

السلمية مغيزيل, Mgheizal village, al Silmiya district, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

34.901944, 37.445833 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A woman and two children were killed in alleged Russian raids on Mghezel, east of Hama, according to a single source.

Three other civilians were reportedly  wounded during strikes on civilian houses in the village controlled by ISIS. Some were later rushed to hospital in the city Deir Ezzor.

No further details are currently available.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

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

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

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

Incident Code

RS925

Incident date

June 21, 2016

Location

كفر حمرة, Kafr Hamra, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.255362, 37.087714 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two to three civilians died and dozens of others were reported wounded following alleged Russian strikes on the town Kafra Hamra, local media reported.

A youtube video by Aldorar al-shyma reported the use of phosphorus bombs, a chemical weapon illegal under International Law, though the source did not apportion blame. [Video no longer available]

HalabTodayTv referred to “napalm incendiary” used by “Russian warplanes” which reportedly struck “the towns of Kafr Hamra and Hraytan and the village of Tal musibin and the Asia and Bureij in the countryside north of Aleppo”. “Stereochemistry” rockets were alleged used by @shahed_alep.

Detail of the location hit was provided by @syria_feed, who alleged “the industry” area of the town had come under fire from warplanes, though it didn’t say who they belonged to.

Civilians affected by the strikes reportedly fled the town, while others took “to the ground floors in buildings, to shelter from the impact of phosphorus bombs”, according to Alweam. The source added that dozens more civilians were suspected wounded, some critically.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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 (19) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • "...civilians had to leave their areas and flee, while others resorted to the ground floors in buildings, to take shelter from the impact of phosphorus bombs placed on them" following alleged Russian action on Hraytan (via Alweam)
  • A civilian at the site of a blaze following alleged chemical weapon attacks by Russian aviation (via Qasioun)

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 June 1st – 31st 2016.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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 (19) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1054

Incident date

July 26, 2016

Location

Jel al Omar, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.899166, 38.285294 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local media reported that a woman and her two daughters died and the father was badly injured in an airstrike on Jel al Omar.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and Arabstoday pointed towards Russia, though the Syrian Press Center didn’t identify the warplane responsible.

There are no other details available at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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 (3) [ 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 July 16th – 27th 2016.

Unknown Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1296

Incident date

September 21, 2016

Location

حي المشهد, Al Mashad (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1834027, 37.1369648 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local media reported that one to three civilians died and as many as ten more were wounded in an airstrike on Aleppo’s Al Mashad neighbourhood. This event looks to have been carried out by helicopters belong to the Assad regime. There were no allegations against Russia, though some sources referred to unidentified “warplanes”.

Photographs from @RFS_North and @step_agency showed extensive building damage, and a Step News Agency video depicted one body being pulled out of the rubble.

@AleppoAMC tweeted about an unspecified number of wounded “after regime helicopters struck with four explosive barrels.” Step News claimed two barrel bombs were dropped.

At least one child was wounded, according to @baladinetwork.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 3
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–10
  • 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 (17) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (10) [ collapse]

  • Footage of the mass destruction of buildings al Mashhad, Aleppo, caused by airstrikes carried out by the Syrian regime or Russia (via Baladi News)
  • Footage of the mass destruction of buildings al Mashhad, Aleppo, caused by airstrikes carried out by the Syrian regime or Russia (via Baladi News)
  • White Helmets rescuing civilians out from under the rubble, following the airstrikes carried out by the Syrian regime or Russia in al-Mashad, Aleppo (via White Helmets)
  • Civilians in the aftermath of the airstrikes carried out by the Syrian regime or Russia in al-Mashad, Aleppo (via Step News)
  • Civilians in the aftermath of the airstrikes carried out by the Syrian regime or Russia in al-Mashad, Aleppo (via Step News)
  • Civilians in the aftermath of the airstrikes carried out by the Syrian regime or Russia in al-Mashad, Aleppo (via Step News)
  • Aftermath of the airstrikes carried out by either the Syrian regime or Russia in al-Mashad, Aleppo (via RFS_NORTH)
  • Aftermath of the airstrikes carried out by either the Syrian regime or Russia in al-Mashad, Aleppo (via RFS_NORTH)
  • Aftermath of the airstrikes carried out by either the Syrian regime or Russia in al-Mashad, Aleppo (via RFS_NORTH)
  • Aftermath of the contested airstrikes on the city of al-Mashad (via Step News Agency)

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 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
    1 – 3
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–10
  • 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 (17) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1393

Incident date

October 3, 2016

Location

بعيدين‬, Baeedin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.2361737, 37.1832275 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians including a woman died and up to 11 more people were wounded in an alleged Russian airstrike on Baeedin, according to local media. A number of sources said that the three victims were elderly people.

The media opposition activist Abu Mohammad al-Halab told Syria News Desk that “the Russian air force struck houses in the centre of the neighbourhood”. Cluster bombs were reportedly used.

It should be noted that the Syrian Network for Human Rights reported deaths were caused by “government warplanes (allies) missiles”, which despite mentioning of the Syrian regime, most likely still pointed to Russia as “the ally”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–11
  • 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 (16) [ 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 October 1st – 19th 2016.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–11
  • 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 (16) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1426

Incident date

October 10, 2016

Location

حي كرم الجبل, Karam al Jabal, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.2105198, 37.1769404 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to local sources, the city of Karam al-Jabal in Aleppo was struck by artillery strikes that led to the deaths of three civilians. All sources but one – Shaam News Network (who blamed both Russia and the regime) pointed to the regime as the culprit.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights “three citizens were killed in shelling by the regime forces at areas in Karm al-Jabal neighborhood in Aleppo city”.

There are no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • 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 (8) [ 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 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
    3
  • 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 (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1737

Incident date

December 4, 2016

Location

حي المغاير , Al Maghayer neighbourhood, Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1894219, 37.1555268 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians died and several more were wounded in alleged Russian or Assad regime strikes on Aleppo’s Al Maghayer neighbourhood, according to local media.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights was among sources blaming Russia.

However, the BBC pointed to the regime, reporting: “The armed opposition said government aviation continued its raids on the eastern neighborhoods of Aleppo, killing three people in the Al-Mughayir district”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • 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]

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 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.”

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

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • 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

RS3573

Incident date

January 4, 2019

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

Around 11 pm in the night of January 4th, 2018, alleged Russian airstrikes targeted the villages of Dera Azza, Urm Al Kubra, Al Rashidin and Rehab Al Mohandeseen.

In the village Darat Izza, up to three civilians of the Qadili family were killed, including a father and son, while several more civilians were reportedly wounded.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that the suspected Russian planes “fired missiles near a chicken house sheltering IDPs in the west of Darat Izza city in Aleppo governorate” – killing three civilians including a child.

According to AMC, “two civilians (a child and his father) were killed, Friday evening [Jan 4th], by a Russian air strike targeting the city of Dara Azza in the countryside of west Aleppo.”

Multiple sources, such as Step News Agency, reported that several civilians had been injured in the strikes.

The incident occured at approximately 10:14 pm local time.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Child male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (1 child1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Unknown
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (22) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • News report on alleged Russian airstrikes on Darat Azza and Urum Al-Kubra in Aleppo (via Jisir TV).
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on Darat Azza (via LCCsy).
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on Darat Azza (via SCD Aleppo).

Unknown Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (1 child1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Unknown
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (22) [ collapse]