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
start date
end date
Civilian Harm Status
Belligerent Assessment
Declassified Documents
Infrastructure
text search
4805 Results
sort by:
Sort by:
Incident date
Civilian deaths alleged
Civilian deaths confirmed by belligerent

Incident Code

RS2967

Incident date

February 2, 2018

Location

كفر حلب, Kafr Halab, Aleppo, Aleppo , Syria

Geolocation

36.062057, 36.871512 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Airstrikes and/or artillery shelling in Kafr Halap, Aleppo, killed two civilian men along with wounding several more, local media reported – though it was unclear whether Russia or the Assad regime were to blame.

Two civilian men, identified by name, were reportedly killed by the assault in Kafr Halab.

Jsirtv attributed blame to “aerial bombardment of the regime fighters” while Step News Agency, who also pointed to the regime said that “artillery shelling” had killed the two civilians.

The same source added that the incident was preceded by a Russian raid at a mosque, though this was limited to material damage.

Meanwhile, Shaam News Network attributed blame to “Russian warplanes.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ayham Khaled
Age unknown male killed
Abdul Aziz Al - Khatib
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • One of the victims of the contested airstrikes in Kafra Halap, Aleppo, February 2nd, 2018 (via Directorate of Civil Defense in the province of Aleppo Free)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    One of the victims of the contested airstrikes in Kafra Halap, Aleppo, February 2nd, 2018 (via Directorate of Civil Defense in the province of Aleppo Free)
  • One of the victims of the contested airstrikes in Kafra Halap, Aleppo, February 2nd, 2018 (via Directorate of Civil Defense in the province of Aleppo Free)
  • Civil Defence members helping one of the wounded following the contested airstrikes in Kafr Halap, Aleppo, February 2nd, 2018. However, this image was also published in association with a strike in Kafr Halab, Aleppo, also on February 2nd and the source is not clear as to which incident it belongs to.(via SCDaleppo)

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 February 1st - 28th 2018.

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
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2863

Incident date

January 7, 2018

Location

ابو الظهور, Abu Al-zuhur, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.738034, 37.047858 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

An unspecified number of civilians were killed and wounded following alleged Russian airstrikes on Abu Al-zuhur. Sources either blamed Russian warplanes, or “helicopters”, making this a contested event.

According to local media, “successive raids” and “heavy shelling” caused “large umbers of dead and wounded” as well as destruction to residential buildings.

The raids, which according to local media occurred in the morning, targeted “Abu al dhouhour, Tal al-Tuqan, Sarqab, al-Sarman, al-Ghadfa, Abu Makki, the outskirts of Ma’arashurin, Tal Kursan, al-Haraki, Jarjnaz and al-Tamanah.”

Smart News reported that a number of civilians were killed and “more than 40 members of the Civil Defence teams” were wounded by Russian warplanes.

The incident occured in the morning.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • 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, Unknown

Sources (7) [ 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 type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • 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, Unknown

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS444

Incident date

January 22, 2016

Location

اللطامنة, Ltamenah, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.3219885, 36.6234398 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The Violations Documentation Centre named two adult male civilians as killed “as a result of the explosion of remnants of a missile from Russian shelling“, however in the notes of Abdul Naser Younes al-Khattab there is a video of the victim entitled ‘the Jihadist  Abdul Naser Younes Al khattab in one of the field hospitals in the Hama countryside’, so it is not clear whether he was a civilian of a Jihadist.

Furthermore, the image published of the other victim, Mohammad Khair Haytham al-Mahmoud “al-Kateb”, may suggest that he is not a civilian.

An additional source, Syrian News Desk, reported that “two opposition fighters were killed and others injured in the town of Ltamenah while trying to disarm a missile which had not exploded after being fired by a Russian plane.”

The media opposition activist Mohammed Ali of Hama said: “The two members of Jasyh al Ezzah from Free Syrian Army were killed and four were wounded by the explosion of the rocket, which they tried to extract from inside the earth so as not to cause harm to civilians.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Abdul Naser Younes al-Khattab
Adult male not clear whether these men are civilians or Jihadists killed
 Mohammad Khair Haytham al-Mahmoud “al-Kateb
Adult male not clear whether these men are civilians or Jihadists killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A man receives medical treatment.
  • Mohammad Khair Haytham al-Mahmoud "al-Kateb", killed in an alleged Russian raid. Sources claim this man is Jihadist. (via, VDC)
  • Abdul Naser Younes al-Khattab, killed in an alleged Russian raid. Sources claim this man is Jihadist. (via, VDC)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

In its military report published on 25th January, the Kremlin said: “In the course of the last three days, January 22-24, aircraft of the Russian aviation group in the Syrian Arab Republic performed 169 combat sorties engaging 484 objects of terrorists’ infrastructure…crews of Tu-22M3 long-range bombers performed 18 combat sorties from the territory of the Russian Federation in order to engage manpower and hardware of the ISIS near Deir ez-Zor on January 22-24. Flight range reached more than 2,000 kilometers.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Incident Code

RS604

Incident date

February 13, 2016

Location

ضاحية الكهرباء, Dahiat al Kharaba, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1682296, 37.0184326 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Shaam News Network reported two children killed in alleged Russian airstrikes: “Russian planes continued their raids on the town of Khan Al A’ssal and Dahiat al Kahraba neighbourhood which led to the dead of two children [girls] in the latter.”

Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies also said that two unidentified civilians died in a Russian strike.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 children)
  • 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 (2) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

From February 10th – February 16th, Russia reported: “On February 10-16, aircraft of the Russian aviation group in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 444 combat sorties engaging 1593 terrorists’ objects in the provinces of Deir ez-Zor, Daraa, Homs, Hama, Latakia and Aleppo.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 children)
  • 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 (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2731

Incident date

November 14, 2017

Location

صبيخان, Sabikhan, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

34.85305, 40.59987 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least two civilians were killed and others were injured, following airstrikes on Sabikhan, according to local media. Both Russia and the Syrian regime were responsible, according to sources.

Media suggested that a river crossing was targeted by the raids.

“The shelling killed a civilian and injured others, mostly women and children, amid acute shortage of medical personnel and medicines and the exit of most hospitals from service by intensive shelling, according to activists.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Fawaz Fennesh al-Sa'oun
Age unknown killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 child)
  • 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 (13) [ 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

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 child)
  • 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 (13) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS1679 IRS001

Incident date

November 20, 2017

Location

القريا, Al Quoriya, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

34.96, 40.55 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians were reportedly killed by a drone strike in al Qouriya, local media said, though neither source has said who was responsible.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that “two men were killed and another was wounded after being targeted by a drone in the al-Quriyah area”.

Sharqiya Voice provided some more detail, naming the victims as Abdul Rahman Al Ali Al Aboud and Ali Abdul Rahman Al Aboud, and said that they “were targeted by an unmanned drone after they lost their way and approached the front line of IS in the city of Qouriya”. It added that “Hamid Al-Mohammed Al-Abdullah Al-Sayel was injured in the eyes”.

The United States, UK and Iran all operate armed drones above Syria.

Eabirsabil published two videos on YouTube showing ” the signs of the destruction following unprecedented raids on the town”. Meanwhile, Al Araby TV and Smart confirmed that the regime had control of al Qouriya – suggesting that any strike may have been linked to regime or Russian aircraft.

On December 11th, 2019, SHRC  reported that  Ibrahim Mamoun Al-Qaitum, a child, has died of injuries in the shelling of Qah camp.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Abdul Rahman Al Ali Al Aboud
male killed
Ali Abdul Rahman Al Aboud
male killed

The victims were named as:

Hamid Al-Mohammed Al-Abdullah Al-Sayel
Age unknown male injured
Ibrahim Mamoun Al-Qaitum
Child male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Syrian Regime, Russian Military, Iranian Military

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Qurayya (القريا), for which the coordinates are: 34.96, 40.55

US-led Coalition Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For November 19th-20th the Coalition publicly reported no strikes in Syria.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Non credible / Unsubstantiated
    Insufficient information to assess that, more likely than not, a Coalition strike resulted in civilian casualties.
  • Reason for non-credible assessment
    No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None

Civilian casualty statements

Syrian Regime
  • Oct 26, 2018

  • After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Iranian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Syrian Regime, Russian Military, Iranian Military

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1103

Incident date

August 5, 2016

Location

Ein Tarma, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

33.51602, 36.35078 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians died in an airstrike on Ein Tarma, according to sources on the ground – though reports were conflicted as to whether Russia or the Syrian regime were responsible.

SCDrifdimashq also listed this man and said that a second ‘unknown martyr’ died.

According to Smart, “a child was injured by regime artillery”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Hasan Batheesh.
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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 (18) [ 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 strikes between August 1st – 10th 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
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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 (18) [ collapse]

Incident Code

R3828

Incident date

August 19, 2019

Location

معرة النعمان, Ma`arat Al Nu`man, Idlib , Syria

Airwars assessment

One to two civilians were reported killed in airstrikes on Ma`arat Al Nu`man, Idlib, on August 19th.

Smart News documented “two civilians killed by regime warplanes on the outskirts of Ma’aret al-Nu’man city, south of Idlib”, while @abuhuzaifa_ tweeted, “civilians wounded due to warplanes shelling residential neighborhoods of Ma’aret al-Nu’man city with vacuum missiles.”

Meanwhile @IdlibPlus and other sources cited “a civilian martyr and a number of injuries” as a result of Russian warplanes targeting the outskirts of Ma’rat Al-Nu`man.

Sources variously attributed the attack to Russian forces and/or the Syrian regime.

No other information is known at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 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
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (5) [ 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 type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 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
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (5) [ collapse]