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

RS387

Incident date

January 13, 2016

Location

ميادين, Al Mayadeen, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

35.01982, 40.45154 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A woman and her two daughters died when “suspected Russian warplanes” launched missiles in Al Mayadeen, according to multiple sources.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

The wife of Abdul Motei al-Muhsen al-Mukhtar
Adult female killed
Khulood Abdul Motei al-Muhsen al-Mukhtar
Child female killed
2nd daughter of Abdul Motei al-Muhsen al-Mukhtar
Child female killed

Summary

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

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • A news bulletin documenting the alleged Russian raid on Al Mayadeen, 13th January 2016. (via, Al Jisir TV)
  • Khulood Abdul Motei al-Muhsen al-Mukhtar, killed by an alleged Russian raid on 12th January 2016. (via, VDC)

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.

Summary

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

Incident Code

RS3433

Incident date

May 15, 2018

Location

أريحا, Ariha, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.81374, 36.60964 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two children and a woman were killed by alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the town of Ariha, Idlib governorate, on May 15th 2018, according to local sources. An unknown number of civilians was wounded.

The Syrian Civil Defence reported that the children Bara’ah Haj Ali (aged 6) and Rayan Haj Ali (aged 12) were killed in alleged Syrian regime airstrikes on residential neighbourhoods in Ariha. The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that the two girls were siblings.

The Local Coordination Committees of Syria wrote that a woman had also died in the airstrikes, also blaming the Syrian regime.

According to Ariha Today however, Russian warplanes targeted the town at exactly 10:16 AM, destroying a residential house completely. Hashtag Revolution stated that the alleged Russian airstrikes occurred in the eastern part of the town.

Idlib Media Center and Orient News reported that an unknown number of civilians had been injured. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights added that some of the injured remained in a critical condition.

Sources mentioned the use of rockets and missiles.

Photos of the incident showed Syrian Civil Defence volunteers searching the rubble to rescue the wounded and recover the bodies of those killed.

The incident occured at approximately 10:16 am local time.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Bara’a Haj Ali براءة حج علي
6 years old female killed
Rayan Haj Ali ريان حج علي
12 years old female killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • 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.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (15) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of airstrikes in Ariha, 10th May 2018. (via Orient News)
  • Pictures of Civil Defense Teams rescuing survivors from underneath the rubble after the alleged airstrike on Ariha on May 15th 2018 (via Orient News)
  • Pictures of Civil Defense Teams rescuing survivors from underneath the rubble after the alleged airstrike on Ariha on May 15th 2018 (via Orient News)
  • Pictures of Civil Defense Teams rescuing survivors from underneath the rubble after the alleged airstrike on Ariha on May 15th 2018 (via Orient News)
  • Pictures of Civil Defense Teams rescuing survivors from underneath the rubble after the alleged airstrike on Ariha on May 15th 2018 (via Twitter: @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Pictures of Civil Defense Teams rescuing survivors from underneath the rubble after the alleged airstrike on Ariha on May 15th 2018 (via Twitter: @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Pictures of Civil Defense Teams rescuing survivors from underneath the rubble after the alleged airstrike on Ariha on May 15th 2018 (via Twitter: @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Picture of Syria Civil Defense teams working on removing bodies and survivors from under the rubble in Ariha, after the alleged airstrike on residential areas in the town (via Twitter: @2011Hrs)
  • Pictures of Civil Defense Teams rescuing survivors from underneath the rubble after the alleged airstrike on Ariha on May 15th 2018 (via Idleb Media Center: Muhannad Al Yamani)
  • Pictures of Civil Defense Teams rescuing survivors from underneath the rubble after the alleged airstrike on Ariha on May 15th 2018 (via Idleb Media Center: Muhannad Al Yamani)
  • Picture showing the targeting of Ariha, taken during the alleged airstrike on the town on May 15th 2018 (via Facebook: Ariha Today)
  • Pictures of Syria Civil Defense teams working on removing bodies and survivors from under the rubble in Ariha, after the alleged airstrike on residential areas in the town (via Facebook: Ariha Today)
  • Pictures of Syria Civil Defense teams working on removing bodies and survivors from under the rubble in Ariha, after the alleged airstrike on residential areas in the town (via Facebook: Ariha Today)
  • Pictures of Syria Civil Defense teams working on removing bodies and survivors from under the rubble in Ariha, after the alleged airstrike on residential areas in the town (via Facebook: Ariha Today)
  • Translation: "The death of two children, Bara’ah Haj Ali aged 6, and Rayan Haj Ali aged 12 (girls) as a result of an airstrike by an Assad warplane that targeted residential neighborhoods in the city of Ariha in Idlib's southern countryside.

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
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • 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.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS933

Incident date

June 24, 2016

Location

‏الشيخ احمد‬, Sheikh Ahmad, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1511189, 37.5288154 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between two and three civilians including up to two children and one woman died in an airstrike on Sheikh Ahmad, according to local reports – though sources were conflicted as to whether Russia or the Assad regime were responsible.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SN4HR), Halab Today and Syria2011 attributed the event to Russia.

According to the SN4HR, two civilians including one child and one women died.

But Halab Today said that two children were killed.

However, both Al Jazeera and Alamawi reported that the regime was responsible.

The Step News Agency did not identify the culprit, but said that a cluster bomb had killed two children and one woman.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Omar Yusuf al Khaled
9 years old killed
Fawaz Yusuf al Khaled
8 years old killed

Summary

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

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • List of martyrs, victims listed at 1'32'', Omar Yusuf al Khaled and Fawaz Yusuf al Khaled (Youtube via Halab Tv Today)

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 July 1st – 14th 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 – 3
  • (1–2 children1 woman)
  • 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 (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3965

Incident date

July 27, 2019

Location

كفرزيتا, Kafar Zeita, Hama, Syria

Airwars assessment

Three medics were killed when alleged Russian airstrikes hit their ambulance on the road between Kafar Zeita and Al Latamina town in Hama governorate on July 27th, 2019, according to local sources. The paramedics were reportedly on their way to help civilians who were wounded in previous air and artillery strikes.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that Abdul Baset Mubrak (1985), ambulance driver, and the paramedics Suleiman Al Yaqoub (1987) and Mustafa Al Hassan (1978) from Kafar Zeita were heading to aid the wounded of a previous bombing by the Syrian-Russian alliance when fixed-wing warplanes believed to be Russian fired missiles near the ambulance they were driving on the road between Kafar Zeita and al Latamina and killed all three of them.

@HalabTodayTV tweeted: “Russian aviation targets a civil defence vehicle on the outskirts of the city of Kafar Zeita in the northern Hama countryside, killing three volunteers.”

HalabTodayTV reported that “a Russian airstrike targeted an ambulance in the Kafar Zeita area on the road between Kafar Zeita and the Zakat village in the northern Hama countryside, on Saturday evening”, adding that the paramedics were on their way to rescue wounded civilians in the village of Zakat.

All sources blamed Russia for the strikes.

The incident occured in the evening.

The victims were named as:

Abdul Baset Mubrak عبدالباسط مبارك
Adult male born in 1985 killed
Suleiman al Yaqoub سليمان المحمد
Adult male born in 1987 killed
Mustafa al Hasan مصطفى الحسن
Adult male born in 1978 killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (20) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (9) [ collapse]

  • The three medics who were killed by an alleged Russian airstrike on Kafar Zeita on July 27th (via Step News).
  • Abdul Baset Mubrak, ambulance driver, and the paramedics Suleiman al Yaqoub and Mustafa al Hasan were killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Kafar Zeita on July 27th (via Syrian Netork for Human Rights).
  • Suleiman Al Yaqoub was reported killed in alleged Russian airstrikes on Kafar Zeita on July 27th, 2019 (via Syrian Civil Defense).
  • Mustafa Al Hassan was reported killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Kafar Zeita on July 27th (via Syrian Civil Defense).
  • Abdul Baset Mubrak was killed in alleged Russian airstrikes on Kafar Zeita on July 27th, 2019 (via Syrian Civil Defense).
  • Translation: “The ambulance system in the city of Kafar Zeita in the northern Hama countryside, three of its volunteers performed their humanitarian duty to treat the wounded as a result of a raid by criminal warplanes. Driver Abdul Basit Mubarak, paramedic Mustafa Al Hassan, paramedic Sulaiman Al Muhammad” (via @abo_aljod84).
  • Ambulance driver Abdul Basit Mubarak and paramedics Mustafa Al Hassan and Sulaiman Al Muhammad were killed in alleged Russian airstrikes on Kafar Zeita on July 17th, 2019 (via @abo_aljod84).
  • Translation: “Three paramedics were killed in Kafar Zeita in the northern Hama countryside, as a result of Russian air strikes that targeted them when they evacuated the wounded inside the city” (via @AramMedia_N).
  • Ambulance driver Abdul Basit Mubarak and paramedics Mustafa Al Hassan and Sulaiman Al Muhammad were killed in alleged Russian airstrikes on Kafar Zeita on July 17th, 2019 (via @abo_aljod84).

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (20) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2762

Incident date

November 23–24, 2017

Location

ابوحردوب, Abou Hardoub, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

34.853038, 40.637715 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians were killed and others were injured in air and artillery strikes on Abou Hardoub, local media reported. Sources attributed the blame to both Russia and the Syrian regime.

Local media reported that house of Oweid Al Dulan struck. He was killed as well as two members of his family

There are no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Oweid Al Dulan
60 years old male killed
Khaled Slueiman Oweid Mohammad al-Dulan
Child male killed
Grandchild of Oweid Mohammad al-Dulan
Child male killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (2 children1 man)
  • 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
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Victims of the raids on Abou Hardoub, 25th Nov 2017. (via S.M.C.)
  • Victims of the raids on Abou Hardoub, 25th Nov 2017. (via S.M.C.)

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 type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (2 children1 man)
  • 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
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1218

Incident date

September 4, 2016

Location

كفر ناها, Kafr Naha, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1658391, 36.9767189 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians including one child died and up to seven more were wounded in an airstrike on Kafr Naha, according to local media – though it was unclear whether Russia or the Syrian regime were to blame.

Anapress Smart, Syrian Press Centre and Halab Today all blamed Russia.

However, Step News and the Syrian Network for Human Rights pointed towards the regime.

Alwatan and Syrian News blamed both “Russian and Syrian warplanes”, as did the Shaam News Network.

According to Halabtoday, “Warplanes launched C5 missiles and used heavy machine guns to target the road between kafr Naha and Urma Al-Kubra in the western countryside of Aleppo”.

In a video published by Baladi, a witness says: “The suddenly warplanes targeted a civilian house which was was set on fire. Three people were killed including a woman and one of the victims lost his head.”

Several other sources said that civilian homes were completely destroyed in the attack.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 child1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–7
  • 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 (1) [ collapse]

  • Footage of a civilian residence allegedly struck by Russian warplanes - according to the source four people died (Youtube via Baladi)

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
    3
  • (1 child1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–7
  • 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

RS1779

Incident date

December 8, 2016

Location

الفردوس, Al Ferdos, Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

Airstrikes on Aleppo’s Al Ferdos neighbourhood killed three civilians, local sources reported – though it was unclear whether Russia or the Assad regime were to blame.

The incident was reportedly part of a larger aerial shelling of Aleppo, that in total killed and wounded “dozens” on December 8th 2016, Aletihad Press News reported. According to that source, the shelling of Al Ferdos led to three civilian fatalities.

@HalabTodayTV additionally reported that “the regime forces targeted the Al Ferdos neighbourhood in Aleppo, which has been besieged by more than 100 missiles and missiles since the morning [Dec 8th]”.

@HalabTodayTV (and several other sources) pointed to the Syrian regime. However, other sources attributed the event to Russia. 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

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

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 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.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • 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

RS2080

Incident date

April 6, 2017

Location

الحور, Hor, Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.88256, 38.17169 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A mother and her two children were killed, and as many as four more civilians were injured, following an airstrike on the residential neighbourhood of Hor, Aleppo. All sources blamed Russian warplanes for the raid.

Al Jazeera initially reported that “a girl and her mother were killed in the bombing” on Hor, however, later reports suggested it was a mother and her two children.

According to Syria News Desk, an entire family of four were injured in the strike on their home. 

Orient news reported that there were “four raids [with] vacuum rockets on the town of Hor, Aleppo”. They did not specify how many civilians were wounded.

Smart Mews reported that “A member of the Information Office of the Civil Defence in Aleppo, Ibrahim Abu Laith, said that Russian warplanes are likely to have carried out four raids on residential neighbourhood in the town of Hor (15 km west of Aleppo), the civil defence teams rushed to retrieve the mother and her two children from the rubble, others were injured”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (1–2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–4
  • 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 (7) [ 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 – 3
  • (1–2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–4
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]