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

RS182

Incident date

November 21, 2015

Location

حي الحلوانية, Al-Bab Road (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.207438, 37.1990204 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to two non-combatants including two women and two female children were reported killed, and four civilians injured, in alleged Russian airstrikes with vacuum missiles on the Bab Road neighbourhood, according to The White Helmets and the Syrian Observatory.

Reporting was confused, with the death toll ranging from one to seven. Mada also claimed the Assad regime was responsible for the attack, while others simply reported unknown aircraft.

VDC has named one of the victims as a member of the Bakeer family, and another Unidentified victim.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

A member of the Bakeer family
Age unknown named by VDC killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2–4 children0–2 women)
  • 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 (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • Destruction of Bab Road neighbourhood following an alleged Russian strike, November 21st (via White Helmets)
  • Scenes from the alleged Russian strike on on the Bab Road neighbourhood, Nov 21st (via AMC)
  • The destruction caused by Russian air force in Tariq Al-Bab neighborhood in Adlib (via Qassioun new agency)
  • Destruction left by warplanes in Tareeq al Bab, Nov 21st (via HNN facebook post)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on on the Bab Road neighbourhood, Nov 21st (via Aleppo eyewitness facebook post)
  • A Syrian local aid worker in the vicinity of the airstrike location (via HNN facebook post)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia confirmed the following for November 21st-23rd 2015: “Aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces have performed 141 combat sorties engaging 472 terrorist objects in the Aleppo, Damascus, Idlib, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Raqqah, and Deir ez-Zor provinces.”

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2–4 children0–2 women)
  • 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 (14) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS247

Incident date

December 9, 2015

Location

تدمر, Palmyra, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.5655244, 38.2873535 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The Violations Documentation Centre named one unidentified adult male as having been killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Palmyra. In addition, the Syrian Human Rights Campaign reported that a boy named as Yazan Jamil el Sha’eel “died of wounds sustained from Russian airstrikes on civilians’ homes.”

According to another source there were heavy Russian air raids on the city that day which led to a number of civilian deaths and injuries: “Dozens of Russian airstrikes by six planes rotating to target the city, resulted in the destruction of big buildings and residential property.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Yazan Jamil el Sha’eel
Child male “died of wounds sustained from Russian airstrikes on civilians’ homes.” killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 child1 man)
  • 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 (4) [ 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 published no known record of its strikes in Syria between December 4th-8th.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 child1 man)
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3733

Incident date

May 28, 2019

Location

حزارين, Hezarin, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

Local sources reported that Russian and Syrian warplanes launched raids striking several towns, including Hazarin where two children were allegedly killed.

No other details are known at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 children)
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

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

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 children)
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS407

Incident date

January 16, 2016

Location

تادف, Tadif, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.34857, 37.531501 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Alaan TV reported that dozens of Russian airstrikes effected villages in Aleppo, including Tadeef.

Halab News said that two non-combatants were killed in Tadeef as part of a “heavy aerial bombardment by warplanes”, but did not identify the planes.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • 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

In its report for military actions on January 19 2016, the Kremlin reports carrying out strikes in Aleppo governorate: “In the course of the last four days, aircraft of the Russian air group in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 157 combat sorties engaging 579 objects of terrorists’ infrastructure in the provinces of Aleppo, Raqqah, Latakia, Homs, Hama and Deir ez-Zor.“

Summary

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

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS503

Incident date

January 29, 2016

Location

حتلا, Hatla, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

35.34169, 40.19897 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians were killed and three injured when the village of Hatla was allegedly targeted by Russian warplanes, according to local sources.

Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently reported the death of two adult males – Bassam Al Samran and Bassel Al Samran – in a Russian raid that targeted a sweet shop “near Hilwiyat Al Badr”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Bassam al-Samran
Adult male killed
Basel al-Samran
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    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 (5) [ collapse]

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 1st February 2016, the Kremlin said: “In the course of the last week, the Russian aircraft in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 468 combat sorties engaging 1354 terrorists’ infrastructural facilities in the Aleppo, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Damascus, Raqqah, Daraa and Deir ez-Zor provinces. Among them – 24 ones were carried out by Tu-22M3 long-range bombers from the Russian territory…Long-range bomber aviation aircraft supported units of the Syrian governmental troops which defended the city of Deir ez-Zor. The airstrikes carried out by Tu-22M3 bombers from the territory of the Russian Federation jointly with tactical aviation from the Hmeymim airbase, engaged 23 important terrorists’ objects in that district. The attempt of terrorists to assault Deir ez-Zor was frustrated.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    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 (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS567

Incident date

February 8, 2016

Location

الهلك, Huluk (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.237367, 37.171512 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Shaam News Network reported “Russian enemy planes carried out raids on the neighbourhoods of Al Halak, Al Salheen and al Kalassa and Ain Al Tall which led to the fall of martyrs – 16 in Salheen, 2 in Halak and wounded in Al Kalassa and many other wounded.”

According to LCCSY a woman and a child were killed in a Russian strike on the neighborhood.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • 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 (3) [ 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 4th – February 11th, Russia reported: “In the course of the last week, February 4-11, aircraft of the Russian aviation group in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 510 combat sorties engaging 1,888 terrorists’ objects in the provinces of Aleppo, Latakia, Hama, Deir ez-Zor, Daraa, Homs, Hasakah and Raqqah.” It added: “Two powerful field commanders were liquidated in the Aleppo province.In the suburbs of Kalaz-Tahtani, a large illegal armed group with its commander, “Abu Maher” (“Farid Al-Misri”) was eliminated by an airstrike.The field commander “Abu Anas Al-Sham” from the Jaysh al-Sham terrorist group was liquidated in the territory of the same province.” It also said that “Russian aviation eliminated open ISIS oil storages in the Aleppo province.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • 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 (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3827

Incident date

June 20, 2019

Location

كفرسجنة, Kafar Sijna, Idlib , Syria

Airwars assessment

Two children from the same family were reported killed and others injured in airstrikes on Kafar Sijna, Idlib, on June 20th.

Idlib Plus named those victim to the attack as Mustafa Al Ali and Abdo Al Ali.

Smart news reported that “two children were killed and four civilians were wounded by an aerial bombardment of warplanes on the village of Kafr Sajna south of Idlib city”, while Syria.liveuamap reported the death of the children, as well as “several wounded.”

One source attributed the attacks to the Syrian regime, while four did not positively attribute blame. Meanwhile, two other sources named both Russian forces and the Syrian regime in reporting of the incident.

No other information is known at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Mustafa Al Ali مصطفى العلي
Child male killed
Abdo Al Ali عبده العلي
Child male killed

Summary

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

Sources (18) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • A list of the names of those killed on June 20th (via Idlib Plus)
  • One of two children reportedly killed in Russian forces or Syrian regime airstrikes on Kafr Sajna on June 20th, 2019. (via Local Kfar Sijna).
  • One of two children reportedly killed in Russian forces or Syrian regime airstrikes on Kafr Sajna on June 20th, 2019. (via Local Kfar Sijna).

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Two children were killed in Russian forces or Syrian regime airstrikes on Kafr Sajna on June 20th, 2019. (via Local Kfar Sijna).

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, Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 children)
  • 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
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (18) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS599

Incident date

February 12, 2016

Location

الدار الكبيره, Dayr al Kabira, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

Two civilians including one woman were killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Dayr al Kabira, according to two local sources.

Shaam News Network reported on the incident in Al Ghantu (listed above) and added that “The town of Al Dar al Kabir suffered a similar air raid which led to the fall of two martyrs and a number of injuries and destruction of targeted houses.”

Two victims were named by the Violations Documentation Center.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ali Moheimeid al-Darweish
Adult male Listed by VDC killed
Nourah al-Nayef
Adult female Listed by VDC killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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
  • (1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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]