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

R4559

Incident date

September 23, 2023

Location

سرمين, Sarmin, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

On the night of September 23, 2023, in Sarmin, Idlib, an incident with contested responsibility—reportedly either by Syrian regime forces or the Russian military—struck an agricultural area, injuring a civilian man, which was confirmed by multiple sources including the White Helmets organization.

The civilian injured was reportedly a farmer who was picking figs in a residential area, when the projectiles struck. The strike was attributed to have been from the Syrian regime or the Russian military. It is contested whether it was a rocket bombing, missile strike, or artillery shelling by different local news sources on Twitter. The White Helmets of the Syrian Civil Defense were photographed helping the injured civilian, and they reported his injuries as minor superficial injuries and followed up with him. However, @AsharqNewsSYR identified the farmer’s injuries as “serious”.

The incident occured during the night.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested 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
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Impact
    Food
    Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @SyriaCivilDefe
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Binnish888

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 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
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Impact
    Food
    Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

R4556

Incident date

September 19, 2023

Location

الفطيرة, Al Fatira, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

At least two farmers were injured during the afternoon of September 19, 2023, by an artillery strike allegedly from the Syrian regime and/or Russian forces in the town of Al-Fatira, in the south of Idlib. The @SyriaCivilDefe reported the farmers were injured while picking figs and received treatment in a hospital in the city of Idlib.

According to a correspondent from the Baladi News, the farmers were injured to varying degrees of seriousness from artillery shelling, reportedly from the Syrian Regime and the militias supporting it. However, @VedengAgency1 and @ralshhwan9 attributed the shelling to Russian forces, who reportedly launched more than 30 rockets and artillery shells at the town of Al-Fatira.

The incident occured in the afternoon.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Agriculture
  • 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
    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 (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 infrastructure
    Agriculture
  • 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
    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 (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

R4555

Incident date

September 13, 2023

Location

آفس, Afes, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

A woman was left injured in Afes, Idlib by artillery shelling allegedly fired by the Syrian regime and/or Russian military on September 13, 2023.

The woman had fainted after being struck by shrapnel, according to Shaam News — who labeled the Syrian regime as the perpetrator. Some other sources, including Al Mohrar, said the shelling came from the Russian military.

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
  • 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 (9) [ 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
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

R4554

Incident date

September 4, 2023

Location

أرض زراعية على أطراف مدينة سرمين شرقي إدلب, agricultural land on the outskirts of the city of Sarmin, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

On September 4th 2023, one civilian was killed and another was severely injured in the city of Sarmin by intensive missile and artillery shelling allegedly by Syrian regime forces and/or Russian forces.

According to Syrian Civil Defense, a civilian named Fadda Ibrahim Al-Muhaimeed, a 12-year old, was killed and her sister Nada Al-Muhaimeed, a 8-year old, sustained various injuries after the intense missile and artillery bombardment, striking the tent they were inhabiting with their family in the agricultural land on the outskirts of Sarmin. Additionally, the Civil Defense team transferred the body of the child and of the injured sister from Sarmin Hospital to Idlib City Hospital and inspected the place of the bombing and secured it.

As mentioned by correspondent Al-Arabiya/ Al-Hadath in Syria, the Syrian regime struck a tent on the outskirts of the city of Sarmin, in the countryside. This is also supported by the statement of the Syrian Network for Human Rights in which it reports that one of the missiles landed next to the tent in which Fadda Ibrahim Al-Muhaimeed lived, causing her death and the injury of her sister Nada Al-Muhaimeed. Multiple local sources mentioned that both of the children were displaced from the town of Afes the day before the bombing due to heavy bombardment in Afes.

Sources were conflicted as to who was responsible for the shelling, with some sources attributing the bombardment to the Syrian regime while others blamed the Russian military, with multiple sources mentioning the use of heavy weapons in the attack.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Fadda Ibrahim Al-Muhaimeed فضة ابراهيم المحيميد
12 years old female killed
Nada Ibrahim al-Muhaimeed ندى إبراهيم المحيميد
8 years old female injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Agriculture, IDP or refugee camp
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • 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.
  • Impact
    Food
    Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (19) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (15) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @alking14399969
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: SCD
  • Source: SCD
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: SCD
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: SCD
  • Image of Fadda al-Muhaimeed, 12 years old, killed on September 4, 2023. Source: @Omar_Madaniah
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @Eliass_Ahmed97
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @khaled_mosle
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @TvIdlib
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @TvIdlib
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @TvIdlib
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @TvIdlib
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @SN4HR
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Alarabiya news
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Ahmad

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
    Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Agriculture, IDP or refugee camp
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • 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.
  • Impact
    Food
    Impact on services or infrastructure relating to education, health or food supply. See methodology note for details.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (19) [ collapse]

Incident Code

SDF00017

Incident date

September 2, 2023

Location

عرب حسن, Arab Hassan, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

One woman was killed and another injured due to shelling and attacks in the village of Arab Hassan in the Jarabulus countryside, east of Aleppo on 2 of September, 2023. This attack was attributed to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the Russian forces and the Syrian regime as the area is said to be under their control.

No other identifying information about the civilian casualties is known.

Sources were conflicted as to who was responsible for the attack between the SDF, Russian forces, and Syrian regime, with local sources @SRP_Revolution and @ralshhwan9 stating that Russian airstrikes with vacuum missiles were launched at the village of Arab Hassan.

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
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • 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
    YPG, Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    One woman was killed and another injured as part of alleged attacks by the SDF, Syrian regime and Russian forces on 2 September, 2023. (Image posted by @Rian_almasri)
  • Damage allegedly caused by vacuum missiles in the village of Arab Hassan on September 2, 2023. (Image posted by @SRP_Revolution)
  • Damage allegedly caused by vacuum missiles in the village of Arab Hassan on September 2, 2023. (Image posted by @SRP_Revolution)
  • Damage allegedly caused by vacuum missiles in the village of Arab Hassan on September 2, 2023. (Image posted by @SRP_Revolution)
  • Damage allegedly caused by vacuum missiles in the village of Arab Hassan on September 2, 2023. (Image posted by @SRP_Revolution)

YPG Assessment:

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

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 woman)
  • 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
    YPG, Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

R4551

Incident date

September 2, 2023

Location

كفرتعال, Kafr Ta’al, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

A resident of Kafr Ta’al in Western Aleppo died after being wounded in an artillery shelling — allegedly fired by the Syrian regime and/or Russian military — on the morning of September 2, 2023.

Civilians had rushed the injured Abdu Ahmad Qudur to a hospital, where he died the same day. Teams from the Syrian Civil Defense were prevented from reaching the site themselves due to ongoing bombardment, according to @syriancivildefe. Zaman al-Wasl specified that Abdu was “a civilian who did not belong to any military party”. Shaam News reported that in addition to the civilian death, “others” were injured, without providing an injury toll.

The Syrian Civil Defense attributed the shelling to the Syrian regime, but local media reports were conflicting. Shaam News also identified the Syrian regime as responsible, while Al Mohrar labeled Russian forces as the perpetrator.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Abdu Ahmad Qudur عبدو أحمد قدور
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    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

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Image of Abdo Ahmad Qaddour who was allegedly killed by Russian/Syrian regime strikes. Source: AlmuhrarNewsNEt

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
    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

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Incident Code

R4552

Incident date

September 2, 2023

Location

السحارة, Al Sahara, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

Up to three civilians – a man, his daughter, and another girl – were injured in Al Sahara, Western Aleppo, by artillery allegedly fired by the Syrian regime and/or Russian military on September 2, 2023.

All three injured in the evening shelling were civilians, according to SCD News, and both girls were children. The shelling had also caused a blacksmith’s workshop in the village to catch on fire. Syrian Civil Defense teams treated those affected, extinguished the fire, and reported no additional casualties. @baladinetwork was the only source to report a lower casualty estimate of two wounded.

Over 10 shells had struck Al Sahara, Atareb Media reported, though sources varied on the source of the artillery fire. Some local outlets — including Atareb — labeled Russian forces as responsible. Others, like Step News, said the shells were fired by the Syrian regime. Multiple sources mentioned that rockets were used in the attack.

The incident occured in the evening.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–3
  • 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 (13) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

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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
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–3
  • 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 (13) [ collapse]

Incident Code

R4553

Incident date

September 2, 2023

Location

سَرْمِين, Sarmin, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

On the evening of September 2nd, 2023, in Sarmin, Idlib, an incident with contested responsibility— reportedly either a Syrian regime artillery attack or a Russian airstrike—killed six-month-old Yaman Munther Baydoun and injured at least three other civilians, including a child, with casualties confirmed by multiple sources including the White Helmets organization.

The majority of reports on this incident agree that the incident was an artillery bombardment by Syrian regime forces, resulting in a death and four civilian injuries, one of whom was a child and a sibling of the deceased infant Yaman Munther Baydoun. The injured child can be heard saying “I want my brother” to the Civil Defense volunteers in a video taken while they were trying to rescue the survivors. The infant casualty Yaman Munther Baydoun is said to have been six months old and an image of him before his death was shared by many twitter accounts such as @TvIdlib.

There were also many post event photos of young Yaman and his sibling who was also injured, and there were also photos of an older man in hospital provided by the Syrian Civil Defense. The White Helmets source claimed the event was a missile strike on a residential area, and the white helmets subsequently transported the recovered body of the 6 month old Yaman and the other injured to hospitals. The White Helmets source included photos of the deceased infant Yaman and his toy buried under shattered rubble and his injured nephew caked in the same rubble. This source quoted the maximum number of injured civilians of four alongside Yaman’s death. The minimum number of injured civilians were said to be three alongside the death of Yaman, and this minimum number was reported by Zamanalwasl News and NPA Syria.

There appears to be some disagreement regarding the perpetrator of the strike and its nature. All sources concur that it originated from the either the Syrian regime, the Russian air forces, or other Russian and pro-Assad aligned militias. Almost all sources believe that the incident was most likely caused by Syrian regime forces. This excludes three sources who blamed the Russian military: one individual on Twitter/X who also posted a photo of Yaman’s bloodied body in the hospital; another Twitter/X user who also attributed responsibility to Russian aviation; and finally, a local TV station’s Twitter/X account that claimed Yaman’s death was due to Syrian regime and Russian aviation.

The status of the strike is also contested as many sources allege it was an artillery bombardment by Syrian regime forces. However some alleged it was a result of missile strikes.

The incident occured in the evening.

The victims were named as:

Yaman Munther Baydoun يمان منذر بيضون
6 months years old male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–4
  • 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 (26) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (24) [ collapse]

  • Yaman Munther Baydoun, 6 months old, killed by artillery shelling on Sarmin. Source: @TvIdlib
  • Source: SCD
  • Source: SCD
  • Source: SCD
  • Source: SCD
  • Source: SCD
  • Source: SCD
  • Source: SCD
  • Source: SCD
  • Source: @Gurbtwatan
  • Source: @Gurbtwatan
  • Source: @Gurbtwatan
  • Source: @Gurbtwatan
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: @HsabMghrd
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Azzam.ak1976
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Azzam.ak1976
  • Source: Akhbar Idlib
  • Source: Mhmd.drwysh.754
  • Source: Mhmd.drwysh.754
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Source: Mhmd.drwysh.754
  • Source: Mhmd.drwysh.754
  • 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
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–4
  • 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 (26) [ collapse]