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

RS3985

Incident date

August 1, 2019

Location

اللطامنة, Al-Latamina, Hama, Syria

Airwars assessment

One civilian was reported killed and others injured in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes or artillery strikes on Al-Latamina, Hama, on August 1st, 2019. Some local sources said that barrel bombs were used in the attack.

@civil_hama tweeted “the targeting of the civil defense team in the city of Al-Latamina with an airstrike by the Russian warplanes, that completely destroyed the work vehicle, in addition to the ambulance and firefighting tools and all the team’s other equipment, without causing any casualties among the volunteers.”

The Syrian Human Rights Committee said that a civilian was killed as a result of Russian airstrikes on Al-Latamina. “Abdul Qader Saeed al Hourani was killed as fixed-wing warplanes – which we believe were Russian- fired missiles on Al-Latamina town in the northwestern suburbs of Hama governorate, on August 1st, 2019.”

The Syrian Human Rights Committee stated that “in the province of Hama, two people were killed, one of them in the bombing of the city of Latamina.”

Other sources reported “killed and wounded” in reporting a number of strikes in a number of locations, including Latamina.

Russia and the Syrian regime were named as the active belligerents in the airstrikes by various sources in reporting on the incident.

No other information is known at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Abdul Qader Saeed al Hourani بد القادر سعد الحوراني
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • 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 (15) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • Caption translation: "The targeting of the civil defense team in the city of Al-Lataminah with an air strike by the Russian warplanes that completely destroyed the work vehicle, in addition to the ambulance and firefighting tools and all the team's other equipment, without causing any casualties among the volunteers."
  • A damaged Syrian Civil Defence vehicle in Al-Latamina in Hama after it was targeted by an airstrike or artillery attack on August 1st, 2019. (via @civil_hama)
  • Helmet found in the location of an airstrike or artillery attack that targeted a Syrian Civil Defence vehicle in Al-Latamina in Hama on August 1st, 2019. (via @civil_hama)
  • Remnants of weaponry used in targeting a Syrian Civil Defence vehicle in Al-Latamina in Hama on August 1st, 2019. (via @civil_hama)
  • A damaged Syrian Civil Defence vehicle in Al-Latamina in Hama after it was targeted by an airstrike or artillery attack on August 1st, 2019. (via @civil_hama)
  • Caption translation: "The targeting of the civil defense team in the city of Al-Latamneh with an airstrike by the Russian warplanes that completely destroyed the work vehicle, in addition to the ambulance and firefighting tools and all the team's other equipment. The actor is the Russian aircraft."

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
    1
  • (1 man)
  • 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 (15) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS4081

Incident date

August 27, 2019

Location

كفر نبل,, Kafar Nabil, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.6155094, 36.5471898 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian died and “many” more were wounded in an alleged Russian or regime airstrike on Kafar Nabil on August 27, 2019, local media reported.

@Abuhuzaifa_  tweeted an image with the caption: “A 90-year-old father takes the last glimpses of his remaining child, who was martyred by shrapnel from the shelling of the Russian occupation.” According to a tweet by @Abdulrazak_Fadl, the father was unable to bury his son at the time because of the continued bombing of the town. A tweet by @SyriaCivilDefe identified the name of the father as Qanbar Al-Bayoush and reported that two of his other children were killed.

Shaam reported: “Since the morning of Tuesday, the city of Kafar Nabil has been subjected to heavy rocket and intensive shelling, after a hard night of Russian aerial bombardments that hit the devastated city, causing great destruction to its civilian facilities and residential buildings.

“Activists said that dozens of rockets targeted the neighborhoods of Kafar Nabil…leaving a civilian martyr and many wounded, at a time when the city is still subjected to intensive shelling with artillery and artillery.”

The Syrian Network for Human Rights said “Nehad Qunbur al Bayyoush was killed in a shelling by Syrian regime forces missile launcher on Kafranbel city in the southern suburbs of Idlib governorate, on August 27, 2019.”

All other sources identified one civilian as being killed and various sourced only identified “several” and “others” as being wounded in the airstrikes.

Sources were split between whether Russia or the regime were responsible, with the Syrian Network for Human Rights identifying the regime as responsible while Smart attributed the strikes to Russia.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Nehad Qunbur al Bayyoush
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–5
  • 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 (17) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    "A 90-year-old father takes the last glimpses of his remaining child, who was martyred by shrapnel from the shelling of the Russian occupation."

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A father sits beside his dead son following an alleged Russian airstrike on Kafr Nabil. Aug 27th (via Shaam)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Caption translation: A martyr and several wounded as a result of missile strikes targeting the city of Kafr Nabl in the southern countryside of Idlib (Image posted by @anasanas84)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • A father says a final farewell to his son, who was killed in airstrikes against Kafr Nabil on August 27, 2019 (Image from @osama_sy87)

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
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–5
  • 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 (17) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1751

Incident date

December 6, 2016

Location

كفر نوران, Kafr Nouran, Aleppo, Aleppo , Syria

Geolocation

36.079694, 36.8061947 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One adult male was killed, and the rest of his family was injured, in an alleged Russian raid which targeted a residential area and a school in Kafr Nouran, Aleppo, according to local media. All sources blamed Russia, which reportedly carried out four raids on the vicinity. 

According to a sources, the aerial bombardment caused extensive material damage. Video footage of the aftermath of the raid supports this claim.

Halab News reported that vaccum missiles were used in the alleged raid.

Syrian Human Rights Committee summarised that on the December 6th, “In the governorate of Aleppo, 77 people (73) were killed by the bombing of the besieged neighbourhoods of Aleppo and the towns of Kfarnuran, Atareb and al-Bu’abiyya in the countryside of the governorate as well as in the city of Idlib, and (3) by mortar shells in the neighbourhoods controlled by the regime, the system.”

The incident occured around dawn.

The victims were named as:

Samir Barakat
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Samir Barakat, killed in an alleged Russian raid on Kafr Nouran, Aleppo. (via Fathi_1999)
  • The remnants of a civilian home which was targeted by alleged Russian warplanes, 6th December 2016. (via Step)
  • The remnants of a civilian home which was targeted by alleged Russian warplanes, 6th December 2016. (via Step)
  • The remnants of a civilian home which was targeted by alleged Russian warplanes, 6th December 2016. (via Step)
  • Footage show the remnants of a civilian home which was struck by alleged Russian warplanes, 6th December 2016. (via Step)

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 infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1960

Incident date

March 10, 2017

Location

القاسمية, Al Qassmiya, Aleppo , Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.234167, 36.96 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One five-year-old girl was killed, and two others were wounded, following an airstrike on a warehouse in Al Qassmiya, Aleppo, local media reported. All sources either attributed blame to Russia, or did not blame any belligerent.

A vehicle was also hit in the shelling and caused a fire. Images show members of the Civil Defence putting the fire out.

According to Aleppo White Helmets, the wounded were taken to a medical facility, although their wounds were not severe.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

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

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • A vehicle burns following an alleged Russian raid on Al Qassmiya, 10th March 2017. (via White Helmets)
  • A vehicle burns following an alleged Russian raid on Al Qassmiya, 10th March 2017. (via White Helmets)
  • A vehicle burns following an alleged Russian raid on Al Qassmiya, 10th March 2017. (via White Helmets)
  • The remnants of a bomb following an alleged Russian raid on Al Qassmiya, 10th March 2017. (via White Helmets)

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 March 1st – 31st 2017.

Summary

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

Incident Code

RS1977

Incident date

March 16, 2017

Location

أبين سمعان , Abin Sama’an , Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.0925448, 36.7577219 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One woman died and several other civilians were wounded in an alleged Russian airstrike on Abin Sama’an town, according to sources on the ground.

Omawi.news.agency reported: “Russian warplanes carried out several air strikes with rockets on the towns of Abyan Semaan and Sheikh Ali in the western countryside of Aleppo, wounding several people and causing extensive damage to civilian property.”

According to Baladi on March 16th, “The cities and towns of Al-Atareb, Sheikh Ali, Babis, Maarat al-Atareb, Abyan Samaan and Kfarkermin were heavily shelled by the Russian air force. Five civilians, mostly children and women, were killed in the areas of Sheikh Ali and Abyan Samaan.”

Smart News Agency reported that a woman died and pointed to Russia as the culprit.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (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 (5) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Abin Sama’an (أبين سمعان), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.092544, 36.757721. 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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (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 (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2150

Incident date

April 21, 2017

Location

اللطامنة, Lataminah, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.3219885, 36.6234398 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A girl was killed and as many as six other civilians were wounded following a parachute missile attack on a residential neighbourhood in Lataminah, local media reported. Sources were conflicted as to who was to blame, with some blaming the Syrian regime and others blaming Russian warplanes.

Halab Today reported that huge fire broke out in a residential building as a result of the attack.

Additionally, later reports claimed that  some of the injuries were serious.

According to Smart News “The Syrian civil defence also documented the killing of a civilian and the wounding of six others, following an air strike”.

Members of the civil defence worked to recover the wounded from the rubble and assist to their wounds.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Yasmin Ibrahim al Saleh
13 years old female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–6
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Huge fires which broke out following an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Lataminah, 21st April 2017. (via Halabtoday)
  • The exact moment an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Lataminah, 21st April 2017. (via Qasioun)

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 April 1st - 31st 2017.

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 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–6
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2206

Incident date

May 1, 2017

Location

عربين, Arbin, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.538143, 36.364331 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian was killed and up to seven were wounded in alleged Russian or Assad regime airstrikes on Arbin, Damascus, according to sources on the ground.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that “a warplane targeted areas in Arbin city in the Eastern Ghouta consecutively with four missiles. This was followed by with 20 rocket shells by the regime forces on areas in the same city, which caused the injury of seven people, some of whom were seriously wounded”.

Additionally, several sources reported that the strikes inflicted great damage on the hospital in Arbin. Accompanying images depicted significant destruction.

Two sources, @HalabTodayTV and @arbeenfreedoom, reported the death of one named civilian man.

The number of wounded spanned from a couple to “dozens”. The Syrian Civil Defence added that women and children were among the wounded.

Sources were unclear as to whether to attribute the incident to Russia, the Syrian regime, or both.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Abdul Rahman al-Khadrawi
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    Healthcare facility
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–24
  • 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 (14) [ collapse]

  • Aftermath of the contested airstrikes that struck the local hospital in Arbin, Damascus, on May 1st, 2017 (via Erbenhospital)
  • Aftermath of the contested airstrikes that struck the local hospital in Arbin, Damascus, on May 1st, 2017 (via Erbenhospital)
  • Aftermath of the contested airstrikes that struck the local hospital in Arbin, Damascus, on May 1st, 2017 (via Erbenhospital)
  • Aftermath of the contested airstrikes that struck the local hospital in Arbin, Damascus, on May 1st, 2017 (via Erbenhospital)
  • Aftermath of the contested airstrikes that struck the local hospital in Arbin, Damascus, on May 1st, 2017 (via Erbenhospital)
  • Aftermath of the contested airstrikes that struck the local hospital in Arbin, Damascus, on May 1st, 2017 (via Erbenhospital)
  • Aftermath of the contested airstrikes that struck the local hospital in Arbin, Damascus, on May 1st, 2017 (via Erbenhospital)
  • Aftermath of the contested airstrikes that struck the local hospital in Arbin, Damascus, on May 1st, 2017 (via Erbenhospital)
  • Aftermath of the contested airstrikes that struck the local hospital in Arbin, Damascus, on May 1st, 2017 (via Erbenhospital)
  • Aerial shelling of Arbin, Damascus, carried out by either Russia or the Syrian regime on May 1st, 2017 (via Zamanalwasl)
  • Footage of the immediate, chaotic aftermath in Arbin, Damascus, after residential areas were hit by the contested airstrikes on May 1st, 2017 (via @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • One of the wounded of the contested airstrikes in Arbin, Damascus, May 1st, 2017 (via @msallam19)
  • Aftermath of the contested airstrikes that struck the local hospital in Arbin, Damascus, on May 1st, 2017 (via @Mamoun_sy)
  • A little girl was among the wounded caused by the contested airstrikes targeting Arbin, Damascus, May 1st, 2017 (via SN4HR)

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 May 1st - 31st 2017.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    Healthcare facility
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–24
  • 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

RS2244a

Incident date

May 17, 2017

Location

الحويقة, Al Hwaighe, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.342102, 40.14576 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least one civilian, an adult male, was killed and others were injured in alleged Russian airstrikes against the neighborhood of Al Hwaighe in Deir Ezzor, local media reported.

According to @AhrarDeirezzor, the civilian was killed after he left the mosque and other members of his family were also injured. The majority of local sources, including Violations Documentation Center, identified Russian planes as responsible for the airstrikes while the remaining sources did not identify who was responsible.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Abdul al-Hakim Al Alloush
Adult male killed

Summary

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

  • Image of Abdul al-Hakim Al Alloush, killed in airstrikes against Al Hwaighe on May 17, 2017 (via AhrarDeirezzor Facebook)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

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