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

RS3201

Incident date

March 8, 2018

Location

جسرين, Jisreen, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.5112138, 36.3881891 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

@SYR_REV_NEWS tweeted that “dozens of civilian casualties occurred as a result of the targeting of residential areas in the town of Jisreen by several air strikes”. The source did not attribute blame.

However, according to Local Coordination Committees Syria, there was “the fall of a large number of martyrs and wounded civilians as a result of raids by the Russian warplanes on the cities and towns of Hamouriya and Jisreen and Saqba in the eastern Ghouta”.

No further details are currently available.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 5
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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, Unknown

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Unknown Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 5
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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, Unknown

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3116

Incident date

March 25, 2018

Location

مديرا, Madera, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.544613, 36.3861 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A single source reported that an unspecified number of civilians were killed and wounded in air and artillery strikes on Madera, local media reported. The source blamed both Russia and the Syrian regime for the raids.

Activists said the “raids were accompanied by rocket and artillery bombardment and the explosive barrel of the regime’s forces.”

There are no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (1) [ collapse]

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

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3968

Incident date

July 27, 2019

Location

خان شيخون, Khan Sheikhoun, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

A man was killed in the explosion of unexploded ordnance from a previous alleged Russian airstrike on Khan Sheikhoun, Idlib governorate, on July 27th, 2019. It is unclear when the airstrike took place.

Smart News Agency claimed that an unknown number of people was killed in a cluster bomb explosion which was allegedly left from a Russian airstrike on Khan Sheikhoun in Idlib. The source did not report a date for the incident but published the information on July 27th.

@mohamadsalomala reported “the martyrdom of the young man (Muhammad Najeeb Al Sarmani) after he was hit by a cluster bomb from the remnants of the bombing in the area of #Bosalia, south of the city of Khan Sheikhoun.”

The Local Council of Khan Sheikhoun City was the only source reporting that the man was “hit by the bombing of the warplanes with cluster missiles”, implicating that the man directly died as the result of an airstrike.

Smart News Agency pointed to Russia as the responsible belligerent. The other three sources did not identify which belligerent had released the unexploded ordnance.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Muhammad Najeeb Al Sarmani محمد نجيب السرماني
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 man)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Planted explosives and unexploded ordnance (UXO)
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Muhammad Najeeb Al Sarmani was killed in the explosion of cluster bomb remnants in Khan Sheikhoun on July 27th, 2019 (via Local Council of Khan Sheikhoun City).

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 man)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Planted explosives and unexploded ordnance (UXO)
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3984

Incident date

July 31, 2019

Location

كفرزيبا, Kafar Zeiba, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

Two children were killed and up to seven civilians, including at least one woman, were injured in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the village of Kafar Zeiba, Idlib governorate, on July 31st, 2019, according to local sources.

Al Araby wrote: “The bombing of the village of Kafar Zeiba, near the city of Ariha, resulted in the killing of two children and the injury of a woman, as a result of an airstrike by a warplane with explosive rockets thrown at one time on civilian homes, according to what civil defence teams reported.”

The Syrian Network for Human Rights identified the children as the girl Noor Muhsen Al Yousef and the baby Mohammad Fadi Al Yousef. Justice Organization reported that the baby was no more than nine months old. According to @NagiNajjar, the girl was four years old and the baby seven months old.

A correspondent for @jisrtv reported that “two children were killed and others were wounded”, implying that there were multiple injured civilians. @abonorx1 also reported that several civilians were wounded.

7al reported seven injured civilians: “The Civil Defence Directorate stated that this morning, warplanes bombed the village of Kafar Zeiba, near the city of Ariha, south of Idlib, with missiles, killing two children and wounding about seven civilians with various injuries.”

The Syrian Civil Defence reported their teams were present at the site, writing: “Two children were killed and one woman was injured by a military airstrike targeting civilian houses in the town of Kafar Zeiba near the city of Ariha in the village of Idlib this morning. Our teams were there with the civilians.”

While nearly all sources blamed the Syrian regime for the strikes, Justice Organization pointed to Russia. Enab Baladi reported both Russia and the Syrian regime as the belligerents of the strikes.

The incident occured in the morning.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Noor Muhsen al Yousef نور محسن اليوسف
4 years old female killed
Mohammad Fadi al Yousef محمد فادي اليوسف
7-9 months years old male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–7
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (29) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • Baby Mohammed Al Yusufi was killed by alleged Russian or Syrian regime strikes on Kafar Zeita on July 31st (via Justice Organization).
  • Syrian Civil Defense volunteers at the scene after an alleged Russian or Syrian strike struck Kafar Zeiba on July 31st (via Syrian Civil Defense).
  • Translation: “Two martyrs (children) and a number of wounded in an air strike targeting the village of Kafar Zeiba, west of Ariha, a short while ago” (via @binnish_revolu).
  • Alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on Kafar Zeiba on July 31st, 2019 (via @binnish_revolu).
  • Translation: “Two children were killed in raids of the Assad militia on the village of Kafar Zeiba, south of Idlib – Syria” (via Orient News).
  • The child Muhammad Fadi Al Youssef was killed in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on Kafar Zeiba on July 31st, 2019 (via Muhammed Cemal Attar).

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
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–7
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (29) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS4000

Incident date

August 9, 2019

Location

خان شيخون, Khan Sheikhoun, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

Two civilians were reported killed and three others injured in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on Khan Sheikhoun, Idlib, on August 9th, 2019.

Baladi News stated that “a civilian was killed and another was injured on Friday due to warplanes shelling the perimeter of Khan Sheikhoun city in the southern countryside of Idlib.”

According to this source, “the regime’s warplanes bombed cluster bombs at dawn on Friday on the city of Khan Sheikhoun and the surrounding farms” leading to the casualties.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights said ” at least two civilians were killed as Syrian regime forces helicopters dropped barrel bombs on Khan Sheikhoun city in the southern suburbs of Idlib governorate, on August 9th, 2019.”

Other sources stated that two civilians were killed in the incident. The Syrian Human Rights Committee named these fatalities as Mohammed Nasser Diab and Ahmad Omar Al-Ma’rati.

Many sources attributed the attack to the Syrian regime, while one other source named both Russian forces and the Syrian regime in reports of the incident. One other source did not positively attribute blame. Some sources didn’t mention any party as responsible for this.

The incident occured around dawn.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Ahmad Omar Al-Ma'rati أحمد عمر معراتي
Adult male killed
Samer Maarati سامر معراتي
male Ahmad's uncle injured

The victims were named as:

Mohammed Nasser Diab محمد ناصر دياب
Adult male killed
Fahd Abdel-Qader Idris فهد عبد القادر ادريس
Age unknown male injured
Muhammad Hassan Marzafi محمد حسن معرزافي
Age unknown male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1–2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    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
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (12) [ 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
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1–2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    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
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1215

Incident date

September 3, 2016

Location

إدلب, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.93062, 36.63393 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians died and several more were wounded in an airstrike on Idlib city, according to local media – though sources were conflicted as to whether Russia or the Syrian regime were responsible.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Radio Alkul and the Syrian Network for Human Rights blamed the regime, putting the death toll at two.

In confused reporting, LCCSY initially pointed towards the regime but then attributed the event to Russia.

Both AlhadathFM and Baladi reported that cluster bombs had been dropped on the city, though these sources didn’t apportion blame.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • 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 (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Remnants of cluster bombs in Idlib - suspected fired by Russian or Regime warplanes (Youtube via Baladi)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia has not reported any strikes between September 1st – 30th 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • 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 (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1667

Incident date

November 23, 2016

Location

الشيخ خضر, Sheikh Khudur, Aleppo , Syria

Geolocation

36.2219801, 37.1749448 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources reported that two civilians were killed and as many as 30 were injured following aerial shelling of the area of Sheikh Khudur, Aleppo.

Syria News Desk’s correspondent in Aleppo reported that “two civilians killed and more than 30 injured in Russian warplane targeting with a vacuum missile the neighbourhood of Al-Sheikh Khudar which is under the control of the opposition east of Aleppo and which is under siege by the regime.”

@ahmad5464561 added that a “flyer helicopter” struck the city with chlorine gasses.

The strikes, that took place as a part of a wider shelling of eastern Aleppo that day, were reportedly carried out by Russia or the Syrian regime. Three sources pointed to Russia while only Al Jazeera pointed to the Syrian regime. However, several sources  merely mentioned that the strikes were carried out by “warplanes”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    30
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (8) [ collapse]

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 November 1st – 30th 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.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    30
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1618

Incident date

November 18, 2016

Location

كفر ناصح, Kafr Nasseh, Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.42798, 37.11344 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to two civilians were killed and between five and ten wounded in an alleged Russian airstrike on Kafr Nasseh, Aleppo.

Syria News Desk reported that “a civilian was killed and five others wounded by Russian aviation raids targeting the town of Kafr Nasseh with cluster bombs.”

Whilst the source Aleppo AMC also reported that one civilian had died, it stated that up to ten civilians had been wounded in the strike.

Both HNN and NetNoor News put the death toll for this incident at two civilians.

All known sources attributed responsibility for the event to Russian warplanes.

The identify of the victims are unknown.

 

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–10
  • 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 (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Translation: See the remnants of cluster bombs thrown at the town of Kafr Nasseh, in the countryside of Western Aleppo.
  • Translation: Smoke rising as a result of the targeting of warplanes to the town of Kafr Nasseh in the western countryside of Aleppo.
  • Translation: Seven civilians were killed, all of them from one family, and more than 13 others wounded, this afternoon, due to the Russian warplanes targeting with four raids Arada village under the control of the opposition countryside west of Aleppo.

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 November 1st – 30th 2016.

On 6 January 2017, Russia, however, reported: “Since November 8, 2016, the aircraft carrier group of the Northern Fleet consisting of the heavy aircraft carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov, the heavy nuclear missile cruiser Pyotr Velikiy, the large ASW ship Severomorsk, as well as auxiliary vessels of the Black Sea Fleet, has been fulfilling counterterrorist missions on the territory of Syria”, adding that ”in the course of two months of their participation in the combat actions, naval aviation pilots have carried out 420 combat sorties, 117 of them were night ones”.

Additionally, Russia reported that its air forces have carried out strikes in Aleppo during November and December 2016.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–10
  • 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 (8) [ collapse]