Russian Military in Syria

Russian Military in Syria

A Russian combat aircraft at Khmeimim airbase in Syria being prepared for action. (Russian Ministry of Defence)

Belligerent
Russian Military
Country
Syria
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Incident Code

R4449

Incident date

July 8, 2022

Location

بليون, Balion, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

At least one civilian, a young man, was injured in alleged Russian or regime artillery shelling of the village of Balion on July 8, 2022.

According to @SyriaCivilDefe, a young man was wounded in artillery shelling of the village of Balion by the regime and Russian forces. Civil Defense volunteers took the injured man to the nearest medical point. A @jisrtv correspondent reported that the person was “slightly injured” in the shelling.

Various other local sources including @TvIdlib also identified one civilian as being wounded in the attack. Al Araby reported that the shelling hit civilian homes in the town of Balion.

The majority of sources attributed the shelling to regime forces or both the regime and Russian forces. A tweet from @lyalraq13900368 specified that the regime forces stationed at surrounding checkpoints were responsible for the shelling.

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
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • A young man injured by alleged Russian and regime shelling of the village of Balion on July 8, 2022. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Civil Defense volunteers search the site of alleged Russian and regime shelling of the village of Balion on July 8, 2022. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian and regime shelling of the village of Balion on July 8, 2022. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Damage caused by alleged Russian and regime shelling of the village of Balion on July 8, 2022. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • Smoke caused by alleged Russian and regime shelling of the village of Balion on July 8, 2022. (Image posted by @jisrtv)

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
    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
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

R4480

Incident date

October 24, 2022

Location

شنان, Shnan, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

At least one civilian, including a child and/or woman, was injured by alleged Syrian regime or Russian shelling of the village of Shnan on October 24, 2022.

The @SyriaCivilDefe reported that a woman was injured by Syrian regime and Russian shelling of the village of Shnan with tank shells. The Syrian Civil Defense added that the shelling occurred at the same time as schools letting out for the day, and volunteers protected students from the shelling.

According to @syr_television, a child was injured and a home was destroyed by missiles that hit the village of Shnan.

Baladi News correspondent in Idlib countryside reported that the Syrian regime forces intensively bombed the farms surrounding the town of Shnan, which resulted in the injury of a woman to varying degrees.

@idleb_online tweeted that the Syrian army was shelling the positions of the militants in the village of Shnan, but did not include information about casualties.

The majority of sources attributed the shelling to the Syrian regime. However, @SyriaCivilDefe reported that the Syrian regime and Russia were responsible.

The incident occured in the morning.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Agriculture
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • Damage caused by artillery shelling of Shnan on October 24, 2022. (Image posted by Syrian Civil Defense via Twitter)
  • Civil Defense volunteers protect students from artillery shelling of Shnan on October 24, 2022. (Image posted by Syrian Civil Defense via Twitter)
  • Damage caused by artillery shelling of Shnan on October 24, 2022. (Image posted by Syrian Civil Defense via Twitter)
  • Damage caused by artillery shelling of Shnan on October 24, 2022. (Image posted by Syrian Civil Defense via Twitter)

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Agriculture
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

R4517

Incident date

June 12, 2023

Location

افس, Afes, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

On Monday June 12th 2023, an alleged missile strike by Assad regime forces and Russia hit the village of Afes in the eastern countryside of Idlib, injuring between one and three civilians, including two children.

Sources including @SyriaCivilDefe and @hadikhraat twitter accounts, and Zaman Al Wasl reported three civilians being hit by shrapnel, including a man, Jamal, and his two children, Marwa and Abdullah, while Radio Al Kul accounts for a woman and two children being injured. @HalabTodayTV twitter account is the only source reporting only a woman being injured. Images posted by @SyriaCivilDefe show two children and a man being treated for their injuries by the White Helmets.

All sources, including @SyriaCivilDefe and @VedengAgency1 twitter accounts, reported that the attack took place in the vicinity of the village of Afes in the countryside of Idlib under the control of the Turkish-backed factions. Moreover, Radio Al Kul noted that the airstrike also affected “the vicinity of the Turkish military point in the village of Maarat Aliya, east of Idlib” and @pvSScBsybeozsB8 twitter account mentions “more than 125 rocket and artillery shells.”

The suspected attackers are alleged to be the Syrian armed forces and Russia, as reported by @SyriaCivilDefe twitter account and Zaman Al Wasl, although responsibility has not been accepted explicitly.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Jamal
male injured
Marwa
Child injured
Abdullah
Child injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–3
  • 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 (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (8) [ collapse]

  • A man and his children injured by alleged Russian or Syrian regime shelling on the village of Afes on June 12, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • A man and his children injured by alleged Russian or Syrian regime shelling on the village of Afes on June 12, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • A man and his children injured by alleged Russian or Syrian regime shelling on the village of Afes on June 12, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • A man and his children injured by alleged Russian or Syrian regime shelling on the village of Afes on June 12, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • A man and his children injured by alleged Russian or Syrian regime shelling on the village of Afes on June 12, 2023. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • A civilian and his two children were injured when the vicinity of the town of #Afes in #Idlib countryside was targeted with rocket launchers
  • More than 125 rocket and artillery shells targeted Idlib axes, wounding a man and his two children in the village of Afes
  • 3 civilians, including two children, were wounded by artillery and missile strikes of the regime forces on the town of Afes

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
    1–3
  • 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 (14) [ 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

R4590

Incident date

October 7, 2023

Location

طراف مدينة إدلب, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

On the evening of Saturday, October 7th, 2023, at least one civilian man was wounded on the outskirts of Idlib, Syria, in the bombardment allegedly perpetrated by the Russian military and/or Syrian regime forces.  However, some sources reported that a number of civilians were injured.

The Syrian Civil Defense, also known as the White Helmets, reported on the man’s injury in its Twitter/X post around 6:57 PM, noting that the incident happened “on the fourth day of an intense escalation campaign by regime forces and Russia in bombing civilians.” SCD also shared an image of a car with broken glass windows that was apparently damaged in the strike.

Reports differed on who was responsible for carrying out Saturday strike and on the type of strike. Al-Arabiya correspondent quoted by Arabic Syria Post and Al Hadath Syria news reported that Russian warplanes struck the city outskirts of Idlib with missiles. However, in another post by Arabic Syria it was reported that civilians were wounded by artillery shelling by the Syrian army. Therefore, Airwars has graded both strike status and civilian harm status as contested.

The incident occured in the evening.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Source: @SyriaCivilDefe
  • Source: @feraskaram01

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS014

Incident date

October 3, 2015

Location

عقرب, Akrab, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.16310, 36.46512 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The Syrian Network reported that Russian warplanes attacked Akrab, a town under the control of the Free Syrian Army, in a joint attack with the Assad regime. All4Syria also reported that “regime forces tried to storm the town, in southern Hama, after several raids by Russian aviation, resulting in several casualties among civilians.“

Two rockets, which SN4HR said contained cluster bombs (pictured below), reportedly killed two civilians including a child: “Four cluster bombs were left un-exploded and the FSA dismantled them by shooting from a very long range. The Russian aerial strikes were accompanied with shelling from rocket launchers by the Syrian regime.”

The incident occured at 13:30:00 local time.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 child)
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]

  • Cluster munitions reportedly retrieved from Akrab, October 3rd 2015 (via SN4HR)
  • The Civil Defence transporting the injured. (via SN4HR)
  • Rescue workers at Akrab. (via SN4HR)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the sheep market in the village of Akrab (عقرب), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.163100, 36.46512. 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
Official source

The Russians made no direct reference to strikes in Hama for October 3rd-5th 2015, noting only that “Su-34, Su-24M and Su-25 pilots performed 20 flights over the last day. They hit 10 ISIS facilities.”

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 child)
  • 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

RS046

Incident date

October 15, 2015

Location

الدار الكبيره, Dar Al Kabira, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.7857347, 36.6818047 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between three and eight civilians were reported killed in an an alleged Russian airstrike on the small town of Dar Al Kabira in Homs.

According to Smart News the event was instead a ‘friendly fire’ incident, with Russian missiles hitting a military academy.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 8
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Unknown

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Dar Al Kabira, for which the generic coordinates are: 34.7857347, 36.6818047. 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
Official source

Russia made no reference to strikes in Homs for October 15th-16th 2015, despite its aircraft clearly having been filmed in action in the governorate.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 8
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Unknown

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS079

Incident date

October 26, 2015

Location

كفرنبل‎, Kafr Nabil, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.6152326, 36.560955 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A suspected Russian airstrike on the town of Kafr Nabil killed a father and his daughter while injuring the mother and son, according to reports. The dead were later named by Violations Documentation Center as Hatem Khaled al-Khatieb and his 12-year old daughter Diaa Hatem al Khatieb.

However Mr al-Khatieb was later named by All4Syria as a fighter with the rebel group Ahrar Al Sham.

Activist Raed Al Fares, from Kafr Nabil, told the Syrian Network: “A number of Russian warplanes were hovering around in the sky and each went in a different direction. When I rushed to the shelling site, the residents told me that a rocket targeted one of houses. The top floor was completely destroyed and the ground floor was greatly damaged. Also I was told that there were some injured people who have fallen. I went to the hospital and saw the injured residents. A father and his 12 years old daughter were killed and three others from the same family were injured The house is located in the western neighbourhood of Kafr nabel and it is free of any military presence next to it. We have monitoring devices which enabled us to hear the pilots talking to each other in Russian and that is how we knew they were Russians.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Hatem Khaled al-Khatieb
Adult male killed
Diaa Hatem al Khatieb
Child female Mr al-Khatieb was later named by All4Syria as a fighter with the rebel group Ahrar Al Sham killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 child1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–3
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • Scene of two fatalities at Kafr Neul October 25th, following an alleged Russian airstrike (via Kefr Nabul News Network)
  • Hatem Khaled Al Khateeb Kafrnabl (via News Network facebook)
  • Photo of Mohammad Hatem Khatib (via All4Syria)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

The Russian Defence Ministry issued no public update for strikes on October 26th-27th 2015.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 child1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–3
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]