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

RS2823

Incident date

December 28, 2017

Location

بابولين, Baboulin, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.539928, 36.677332 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two or three civilians including two children were killed and an unspecified number were wounded in airstrikes which hit Baboulin, according to local media. Sources blamed both the Syrian regime and Russian warplanes for the raids.

According to some sources, Syrian regime helicopters dropped four explosive barrel bombs on the vicinity. Aircraft also allegedly “targeted a children’s school” which was housing Internally Displaced Peoples.

@abohasan15 reported that “a brutal Russian bombardment of the villages of the southern countryside of Idlib targeted a children’s school in Baboulin resulting in the martyrdom of three children”.

Several other sources reported that two civilians died.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (2 children)
  • 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

The Russian Ministry of Defence announced being active in unspecified parts of Syria until December 11th, 2017.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (2 children)
  • 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

RS078

Incident date

October 25, 2015

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

According to the White Helmets in Aleppo, “Russian warplanes bomb the towns of Al Bab and Tadef yesterday evening with several raids using vacuum missiles – leaving several dead and dozens wounded and homes destroyed.” Other reports described two raids on Tadef and one on Al Bab.

Radio Al Kul attributed the attacks to the Syrian regime, and also said that while there were no fatalities in Tadef, three civilians had been killed at al Bab.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • Civilians reported injured
    20
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Daesh propaganda of a child injured in an airstrike on Al Bab October 25th 2015 (via A'maq)
  • Translation: #Aleppo 3 martyrs and many injured following warplane shelling on the town of al bab.
  • Translation: the fall of three civilians and more than twenty wounded following a raid by a warplane on the town of al bab.
  • Translation: Urgent - Aleppo news correspondent: Russian agression planes targeting the city of al bab with several air raids using vacuum missiles.
  • translation: three martyrs and many injured civilians following regime warplane shelling of the city of al bab.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Al Bab (الباب), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.371972, 37.51631. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Unknown Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Unknown

The Russian Defence Ministry has confirmed carrying out airstrikes in Aleppo governorate on October 25th-26th 2015. “In the course of the last 24 hours, the Russian air group carried out 59 sorties engaging 94 terrorist objects in the Hama, Idlib, Lattakia, Damascus, Aleppo, Deir ez-Zor provinces.“

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
    20
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3518

Incident date

July 8, 2018

Location

أم المياذن, Um Al Mayadhen, Dara'a, Syria

Geolocation

32.585547, 36.190245 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to three civilians were killed in alleged Russian airstrikes on Um Al Mayadhen, Dara’a governorate, on July 8th, 2018, according to local sources. An unknown number of people was injured.

@omar_hariri_dr wrote: “Two martyrs up to this moment and a large number of wounded by the Russian airstrikes on the town of Um Al Mayadhen”, adding that “the evacuation of the displaced people, which was scheduled for this morning, was postponed.” The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported three civilian deaths.

Shaam News also reported a number of injured in what it describes as “a very heavy rocket attack”, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights refers to as a “bombardment by warplanes and helicopters”.

All sources identifying a belligerent blamed Russia for the airstrikes. According to Shaam News Network, the alleged airstrikes are a violation of the ceasefire agreement agreed upon in Bousra Al Sham. According to this source, “Russian and Syrian aerial bombardments have continued and have not stopped”, in spite of the stipulations of the Bousra Al Sham agreement.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–10
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

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
    2 – 3
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–10
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS336

Incident date

December 31, 2015

Location

أعزاز‎, A`zaz, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.586273, 37.04739 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians including a woman and child were reported killed at a camp for displaced people in A’zaz.

Radio Al Kul reported that “Three civilians were killed and tens injured, among them many children in critical condition, by Russian airstrikes on A’zaz and a refugee camp on the outskirts of the town.

The three victims were named by the VDC as was one Unidentified – adult male.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Adult female killed
Child female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 child1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    6–12
  • 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

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • An interview with local civilians in the aftermath of the raid. (via, A'zaz Media Office)
  • An interview with local civilians in the aftermath of the raid. (via, North Press)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia does not appear to have published a strike summary for December 30th-31st 2015.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 child1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    6–12
  • 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

Incident Code

RS688 CS186

Incident date

February 27, 2016

Location

محيميدة, Mahimideh, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

35.44294, 40.08619 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to three civilians were killed in an airstrike on Mahimideh according to local sources – though reports were conflicted as to whether Russia or the US-led Coalition was responsible.

Euphrates post named two fatalities including an unidentified victim. It said that Russia was responsible.

However, Al Jazeera and Lebanon360 alleged this was a Coalition strike, killing one non-combatant and wounding several more.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Suleiman Saleh Al A’antar
18 years old male named by Euphrates Post killed
Hassan al Yassin
Age unknown named by Euphrates Post killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 3
  • (1 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
    Unknown, US-led Coalition

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Unknown Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Unknown

Russia has published no known record of strikes in Syria from February 17th – February 29th.

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

No strikes were reported in the vicinity for February 26th-28th 2016.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 3
  • (1 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
    Unknown, US-led Coalition

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3873

Incident date

July 6, 2019

Location

مورك, Mourek, Hama, Syria

Airwars assessment

Three civilians from one family, including an infant, were reportedly killed in alleged Russian airstrikes on Mourak, Hama governorate, on July 6th, 2019, according to local sources.

According to Syrian Network for Human Rights, “three civilians (a girl and her parents), were killed while grazing sheep as warplanes we believe were Russian fired missiles on the vicinity of Morek town in Hama governorate northern suburbs, on July 6th.”

Syria Civil Defense alleged that a “father, wife and son” were killed in the attack, while @so_ria98 names “Kanhar Mohamed El Wardi, his wife and his two months old daughter” as slain in the incident. The Syrian Human Rights Committee also reported that the child was a girl. According to @so_ria98, the family was displaced from the village of Krah. According to @HalabTodayTV, “others from the same family were injured.”

The Syrian Civil Defence in Hama reported: “Three civilians from one family were killed and a fourth injured as a result of a fire in his car after it was targeted by four airstrikes. Civil defence teams rushed to the place and worked to retrieve the bodies of the martyrs and deliver them to their families.” In addition, firefighting teams were aiming to distinguish the fire in the burning car.

Similarly, Step News stated that “Russian and Syrian warplanes launched several airstrikes on Saturday, on the towns of Mourak, Altamneh and Kafarzita in the northern Hama countryside, causing the deaths of three people and a number of wounded from the same family.”

All sources reported that Russia had been responsible for the strikes. Only Step News Agency mentioned the Syrian regime in a summary of events on July 6th, including airstrikes on Al Tamneh and Kafarzeita. Hence, the civilian harm status for this incident is graded as fair.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Adult male killed
Adult female killed
2 months years old female killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 child1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • 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 attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (18) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • Image Caption: "Russian forces killed civilians from the same family in Morek town in Hama: three civilians (a girl and her parents), were killed while grazing sheep as fixed- wing warplanes we believe were Russian fired missiles on the vicinity of Mourak town in Hama governorate northern suburbs, on July 6th" (via Syrian Network for Human Rights).
  • Translation: “Three civilians from one family were killed and a fourth injured as a result of a fire in his car, after it was targeted by four air strikes. Civil defence teams rushed to the place and worked to retrieve the bodies of the martyrs and deliver them to their families, as well as the firefighting team. To extinguish the burning car and control the fire to prevent it from spreading to trees. #Mourek” (via @civil_hama).
  • Firefighters trying to extinguish a car on fire after alleged Russian airstrikes on Mourak, July 6th, 2019 (via @civil_hama).
  • A vehicle on fire after alleged Russian airstrikes on Mourak, July 6th, 2019 (via @civil_hama).
  • Syrian Civil Defence volunteers recovering the body of a victim after alleged Russian airstrikes on Mourak, July 6th, 2019 (via @civil_hama).
  • Kanhar Mohamed Al Wardi was killed alongside his wife and their baby daughter in alleged Russian airstrikes on Mourak on July 6th, 2019 (via Thamer Al Ali).

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
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 child1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • 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 attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (18) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS881

Incident date

June 9, 2016

Location

حي ‏الجزماتي‬, Al Jazmati (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1999667, 37.1935272 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians including a child and a woman died and dozens more were injured when non-combatants’ homes were struck by airstrikes in the Al Jazamati neighborhood of Aleppo, according to local sources – though reports were conflicted or unclear as to whether this was the work of Russia or the Syrian regime.

LCCSY blamed Russian strikes killed three civilians.

In a graphic and disturbing video, the Shaam News Network said that a mother and her daughter were pulled from the rubble following a strike, though it was unclear from the report who was responsible, as it referred to “Russian enemy planes and Assad’s helicopters” continuing to fly above Aleppo and its countryside “firing vacuum and cluster and phosphoric missiles and barrel bombs on the homes of unarmed civilians”. The footage shows a young child being dug out from the ground. At 2’04” a resident gives the following testimony: “They’re bombing indiscriminately. They’re bombing all the neighborhoods, they’re civilians here, women, a little girl, she’s 2-3 years old, what has she done to deserve to be killed? The woman we just pulled her out she’s all broken, another man all broken up and another woman dead. Shame on you world, shame on you Muslims, be scared of God. Where are the Arab countries? Where is the UN? We are being bombed every day, we don’t know where to go, have mercy on us.”

The source added that a family were still stuck under the rubble.

The White Helmets also posted a video depicting a child being removed from rubble. A further report said that one woman and a girl were killed while three other people were pulled out alive, though they did not identify the “warplanes” responsible. It also published an image of a woman being carried by members of their team after they had rescued her alive when her home was targeted.

However, according to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, the regime was responsible for the death of three non-combatants including a girl.

According to Zakarianassani, “the little girl Shaza from Al Jazmati was killed today by the child killer that is Assad forces”.

Videos published by Ammar Alhalabi and Hadi Alabdullah reported that an entire family was still trapped under the rubble.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (1)

Shaza
Child female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (30) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (8) [ collapse]

  • A woman was found alive under the rubble following a strike on her home in Al Jazamati, June 9th. The White Helmets escort her to safety (via White Helmets)
  • A video showing a child casualty following a strike on Al Jazmati.
  • "Al Jazmati massacre due to Russian warplane shelling (Youtube via Shaam)
  • "Russian warplane shelling in Al Jazmati and a whole family is stuck under the rubble. There are martyrs and wounded. Initially 3 martyrs and 3 wounded" (Youtube via Ammar Alhalabi)
  • "At least 3 martyrs and 3 wounded and a whole family is still under the rubble" (Youtube via Hadi Alabdullah)
  • "watch the raids on al Jazmati whose victims were a young girl and a woman and three people were injured 10/6/2016" (Youtube via Aleppo White Helmets)
  • Civilians pulled from rubble by the White Helmets (via Aleppo White Helmets )
  • "One woman and a girl killed and three people pulled out alive from under the rubble following raids by warplanes targeting al Jazmati neighbourhood east of the city of Aleppo" (via Aleppo White Helmets)

Unknown Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Unknown

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
    3
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (30) [ collapse]