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

RS2268

Incident date

June 3, 2017

Location

رسم الطويل , Rasim Al-Tawil in Jab Al Jarah, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.806389, 37.433889 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Smart News reported that civilian housing in the village of Rasim Al-Tawil was struck by an aerial bombardment of warplanes, likely to be Russian.

Three civilians were reported killed and five others were reported wounded, amongst them women and children.

There are no other details at this time.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • Civilians reported injured
    5
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2266

Incident date

June 1, 2017

Location

طيبة, Tayba, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

35.08895, 38.91597 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources reported the ‘Bazaar’ market of Tayba in rural Homs to be struck by an airstrike, likely to be Russian.

The airstrike reportedly killed seven civilians and wounded “dozens” more.

There are no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2267

Incident date

June 1, 2017

Location

السخنة, Al-Shokhna, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.8848748, 38.8711739 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Warplanes, likely to be Russian, were reported by multiple sources to have struck the ‘Souq Al Khamis’ market of Al-Shukhna, according to local media.

Al-Shukhna was under ISIS control at the time of the incident.

Most sources reported the death of five civilians and the wounding of 17 others.

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 – 5
  • Civilians reported injured
    6–17
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • One of the wounded by the alleged Russian airstrike in medical a facility on June 1st 2017 in Al-Shukhna, Homs, Syria (via Al Jazeera Arabic Syria).

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 5
  • Civilians reported injured
    6–17
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2265

Incident date

June 1, 2017

Location

معرة النعمان , Ma’arat Al-Nu’man, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.6477913, 36.6591881 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A nine year old girl was killed, and another girl was wounded, due to the explosion of cluster bomb remnants, dropped earlier by an airstrike, according to local media. The bomb dropped earlier, the date is unspecified, was likely to be Russian.

The girls were reportedly playing close to the remnants, in the town of Ma’arat Al-Nu’man, Idlib, when they were struck. 

There are no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

9 years old female killed

Summary

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

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

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

Incident Code

RS2264

Incident date

May 31, 2017

Location

كفر زيتا , Kafr Zeita, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.3747033, 36.5923691 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One or twochildren were injured by when the remnants of an alleged Russian cluster bomb dropped in a previous strike exploded in Kafr Zeita on may 31st 2017.

2011 Madardaily said that one child was injured, while other sources put the number at two.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

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

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • A child wounded by the explosion of remnants of an alleged cluster bomb in Kafr Zeita, May 31st. The image was published by Manhal Mohammed Al - Ahmad. The source has since been removed from Facebook but Airwars has archived the image and publishes it here.
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A child wounded by the explosion of remnants of an alleged cluster bomb in Kafr Zeita, May 31st. The image was published by Manhal Mohammed Al - Ahmad. The source has since been removed from Facebook but Airwars has archived the image and publishes it here.

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

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

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2263

Incident date

May 31, 2017

Location

عقيربات , Akeirbat, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.0412099, 37.464692 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Civilians were reportedly killed and others wounded in ‘intensive’ airstrikes on Akeirbat allegedly conducted by Russian and Syrian warplanes on the 31st of May, a local source reported to Smart News.

Rozana Radio, however, reported that there were no civilian casualties in the strikes that landed on the villages of Abu Habilat, Al Harrdana, Abu Hanaya and Hamada Omar in the area of Akeirbat.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 2
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–2
  • 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 (4) [ 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
    0 – 2
  • Civilians reported injured
    0–2
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2262

Incident date

May 27–28, 2017

Location

القسطل, al Qastal village, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

33.924276, 36.69632 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians were killed and four others wounded in an aerial ‘bombardment’ of the village of Al Qastal in Hama Governorate on the 27th or 28th of April 201, according to local media

The wounded sought treatment at hospitals in Deir Al-Zour. The casualties included women and children, but their identities are unknown.

Sources laid the blame on the Syrian regime and the Russians for these strikes, in which warplanes reportedly also shelled the villages of Jarouh, Al-‘Albawi and Dikila, in the area of ​​Aqirbat, according to Smart News.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • 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 (2) [ 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
    3
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • 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 (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2261

Incident date

May 27, 2017

Location

عقيربات دكيلةالعلباويجروح , Jarouh, Al-'Albawi and Dikila, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.105128, 37.495179 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between four and five civilians were killed and several others were wounded in alleged Russian or Assad regime airstrikes in eastern Hama Governorate, according to sources on the ground.

Smart News reported that the warplanesshelled the villages of Jarouh, Al-‘Albawi and Dikila, in the area of ​​Aqirbat.’

The strikes also resulted in the burning of agricultural crops in the village of Al-Labawi.

One source, Waseem Al Hamwi, accused the Syrian regime of participating in this airstrike.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 5
  • 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 (3) [ 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
    4 – 5
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]