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)

Belligerent
Russian Military
Country
Syria
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Civilian Harm Status
Belligerent Assessment
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Incident Code

R4469

Incident date

September 17, 2022

Location

حفسرجة, Hafsarja, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

On September 17th 2022, Russian forces allegedly hit to stone-cutting sawmills on the outskirts of Hafsarja village, west of Idlib, which resulted in the injury of a worker.  Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that the worker was identified as Ghaith al Kouz.

The Syrian Civil Defense team inspected the area and found that the attack was likely a result of cluster bombs.

One of the sawmills was also targeted on September 8th 2022, and up to seven civilians were killed and 15 others were wounded (see R4467).

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Agriculture
  • 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
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (12) [ collapse]

  • Two stonecutting sawmills were targeted on September 17th 2022 in Hafsarja, Idlib (Image via @SyriaCivilDefe / Twitter)
  • "The occupation aircraft targeted #الروسي today, two stone-cutting sawmills in the area #حفسرجة west of #إدلب and a few days ago it targeted a sawmill in the same area, killing 7 martyrs and 15 wounded. Opening the crossings with the regime has become a natural matter for the claimant of the revolution and Sharia, and if a sheep stumbled in #درع_الفرات , the media would rise up and move the ideological pens"
  • Two stonecutting sawmills were targeted on September 17th 2022 in Hafsarja, Idlib (Image via @SyriaCivilDefe / Twitter)
  • Two stonecutting sawmills were targeted on September 17th 2022 in Hafsarja, Idlib (Image via @SyriaCivilDefe / Twitter)
  • Images of destructed sawmills after alleged Russian forces airstrike (Image via @SyriaCivilDefe / Twitter)
  • Images of destructed sawmills after alleged Russian forces airstrike (Image via @SyriaCivilDefe / Twitter)
  • Images of destructed sawmills after alleged Russian forces airstrike (Image via @SyriaCivilDefe / Twitter)
  • Images of destructed sawmills after alleged Russian forces airstrike (Image via @SyriaCivilDefe / Twitter)
  • Images of destructed sawmills after alleged Russian forces airstrike (Image via SNHR)
  • Russian warplanes allegedly hit sawmills on September 17th 2022 (Image via @Almohrar1 / Twitter)
  • Russian warplanes allegedly hit sawmills on September 17th 2022 (Image via @Almohrar1 / Twitter)
  • One person was reportedly injured after a Russian strike hit a sawmill in Hafsarja village (Image via @IdlibPlus / Twitter)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Agriculture
  • 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
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Incident Code

R4502

Incident date

February 27, 2023

Location

لطريق بين معرة مصرين وادلب, road between Maaret Misreen and Idlib, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

One civilian was reportedly injured in a shelling attributed to either Russian forces or the Syrian regime on February 27th 2023 when the road was hit by a shell between Maraat Misrin and Idlib, Syria.

The Syrian Civil Defense reported that a fire broke out due to the shelling, which they extinguished.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

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
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • "A civilian was injured in shelling by the regime forces and Russia, today, Monday, February 27, targeting the road between Maarat Misrin and #Idlib." (Image via @Syriacivildefe / Twitter)
  • "A civilian was injured in shelling by the regime forces and Russia, today, Monday, February 27, targeting the road between Maarat Misrin and #Idlib." (Image via @Syriacivildefe / Twitter)
  • "A civilian was injured in shelling by the regime forces and Russia, today, Monday, February 27, targeting the road between Maarat Misrin and #Idlib." (Image via @Syriacivildefe / Twitter)
  • "A civilian was injured in shelling by the regime forces and Russia, today, Monday, February 27, targeting the road between Maarat Misrin and #Idlib." (Image via @Syriacivildefe / Twitter)

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
    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
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

R4533

Incident date

July 23, 2023

Location

كفرعمة, Kafar Ammah, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

At least one civilian, a child, was injured as a result of the artillery shelling of the residential villages of Kafar Ammah and Al-Qasr, west of Aleppo, allegedly by Russian and/or Syrian Regime forces on Sunday July 23rd 2023.

Local sources @SyriaCivilDefe and @spc_fr only mentioned that a child was injured, with @SyriaCivilDefe reporting that the child was seriously injured. Other sources including @Almohrar1 mentioned that a child and a man were injured, and @Almohrar1 specified that the man injured is the father of the child injured. @mzmgr941 reported that both victims were taken to the hospital.

Most sources reported that the attack was carried out by Syrian regime forces but a few claimed it was Russian forces.

@mzmgr941 claimed the shelling was carried out by Russian and Iranian forces and that 6 Russian and Iranian reconnaissance planes could be seen in the sky when the attack took place.

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
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (10) [ 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
    1–2
  • 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
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

R4562

Incident date

October 3, 2023

Location

سرمين, Outskirts of Sarmin, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

On October 3rd, 2023, a man and a woman, Mohammed Sadek and Asoum Nahbhan were injured by alleged Syrian regime and/or Russian artillery shelling in the outskirts of Sarmin in the eastern countryside of Idlib. Asoum Nahbahn was reportedly moderately injured in the flank while Mohammed Sadek’s injury was described as slight.

The belligerent’s identity is contested, with some sources naming the Syrian regime forces, other sources the Russian military, and some naming both jointly. One Twitter/X post said the artillery shellings came from Assad’s forces “stationed at the surrounding checkpoints”.

Artillery shells reportedly touched the vicinity of the “Hussein Haj Aboud” primary school during official teaching hours. Baladi news reported that teachers had to end classes immediately after the incident for safety reasons and that the artillery shelling “created a great state of terror among the students and families.” The news correspondent claimed that while civilians at the school hadn’t been physically impacted, the external walls were damaged.

Several images taken by the Syrian Civil Defence show civilian homes affected by the attack, with some parts being demolished. Photos also show a tractor which allegedly caught on fire due to the artillery shells. Moreover, a gas station and a car dealership office were reportedly damaged by the incident.

Syrian Civil Defence intervened on the same day. According to two Twitter/X posts, the two injured were transferred to a hospital in Idlib.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mohammed Sadek محمد صادق
Age unknown male injured
Asoum Nahbhan أسوم نبهان
Age unknown female injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Agriculture, School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    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.
  • Impact
    Education,Food
    Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
  • Suspected attackers
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (29) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (27) [ collapse]

  • Source: @AlTareek22
  • Source: @A_H_M_A_D50
  • Source: @A_H_M_A_D50
  • Source: @A_H_M_A_D50
  • Source: @A_H_M_A_D50
  • Source: @Ahmad_1alshble
  • Source: @Najdat567
  • Source: @Najdat567
  • Source: @Najdat567
  • Source: @Najdat567
  • Source: @creativenewssy
  • Source: @creativenewssy
  • Source: @creativenewssy
  • Source: @VedengAgency1
  • Source: @VedengAgency1
  • Source: @VedengAgency1
  • Source: @VedengAgency1
  • Source: @nbraas_08
  • Source: @syrianewsag
  • Source: @OrientNews
  • Source: Baladi news
  • Source: @aljazeeramubashe news
  • Source: Sarmin

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  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

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 infrastructure
    Agriculture, School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    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.
  • Impact
    Education,Food
    Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
  • Suspected attackers
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (29) [ collapse]