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

RS4056

Incident date

August 20, 2019

Location

كفرنبل, Kafar Nabil , Idlib , Syria

Geolocation

35.6155094, 36.5471898 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One to two civilians were reported killed and one civilian injured in alleged Russian airstrikes on Kafar Nabil, Idlib, on August 20th, 2019.

Syrian Observatory for Human Rights stated that “two men” were killed “in Russian airstrikes on the town of Kafar Nabil”.

Meanwhile, Syria.liveuamap reported that “one civilian” perished “in Kafar Nabil, due to Russian raids.” @MasarPressNet also reported one civilian killed and Syrianoor reported one civilian killed and one injured.

All sources attributed the attack to Russian forces.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1–2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • 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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1–2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • 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

RS1204

Incident date

September 1, 2016

Location

حريتان, Hraytan, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.287032, 37.08332 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two possible civilians died in airstrikes on Hraytan, according to local media, though it was unclear whether Russia or the Syrian regime were responsible for the deaths.

Halabtoday, Syr_Rev_News and Alamawi, the Violations Documentation Center and HNN blamed Russia. Smart added that eight non-combatants were also wounded.

However, according to Alaraby the regime was to blame.

Other sources – Shehab and Step News Agency – pointed to both the regime and Russia, with Step reporting that helicopters were used along with warplanes.

There is also some doubt over the victims’ combat status: Aboodeh9068 said that the two victims were members of the “Al-Tawhid brigade”, suggesting that they may not be civilians.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Hussein Saqer
Age unknown male killed
Mahmood Kamal Masri
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 2
  • (0–2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    8
  • 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]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • The destruction on the streets of Hraytan following suspected Regime and Russian missiles (Tweet via @ShehabAgency)
  • Hussein Saqer and Mahmood Kamala Masri - the two men alleged killed in warplane shelling on Hraytan (Tweet via @abodee9068)

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
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 2
  • (0–2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    8
  • 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

RS1398

Incident date

October 4, 2016

Location

عندان, Anadan, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.29353, 37.04466 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to local sources air and artillery strikes hit the city Anadan north of Aleppo, killing one or two civilians.

According to Nabd Syria, “two people were killed and others wounded in Anadan due to regime warplanes and artillery shelling”.

One source, Muslm, attributed the strikes to both the Assad regime and Russia, while Jsirtv pointed to Russia alone.

However, most sources – al-Meghreb Today, RFS North, @Syriamubasher and @AnadanMedia – pointed to the Assad regime.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mohammed Hussein Jewaid
Adult male though Yousef Kharfan and Halabtoday said he was a fighter killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 man)
  • 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 (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Mohammed Hussein Jewaid, a fighter. (via, Yousef Kharfan)

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 October 1st – 19th 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 man)
  • 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 (11) [ 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]

Incident Code

RS1946

Incident date

March 6, 2017

Location

خضيرة, Khdeira, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.074965, 37.843781 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Subdistrict level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians, one child and one woman, were reportedly killed and another seriously wounded as alleged Russian warplanes struck the village of Khadira, Hama, two local sources reported.

An activist on the ground told Micro News that “the aircraft carried out raids on the village of Khadira in the area of Aqirbat (77 km east of the city of Hama) controlled by “Daesh”, killing a woman and a child and seriously injured a civilian.”

Both sources attributed blame to Russia.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

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

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has not reported any strikes between March 1st - 31st 2017.

Summary

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

Incident Code

RS2193

Incident date

April 27, 2017

Location

عويجل , Ouweijal, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.179537, 36.952987 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two children died and seven other civilians were  wounded in an alleged Russian airstrikes on the town of Ouweijal in western Aleppo, according to local sources.

The Smart News Agency reported the planes were likely bombing a hospital in the town.

Three houses collapsed, according to the Syrian News Desk.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    Healthcare facility
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7
  • 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]

  • A civilian is carried from the rubble following an airstrike on Ouweijal, April 27th.

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    Healthcare facility
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7
  • 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

RS2371

Incident date

July 27, 2017

Location

أوتايا, Otaya, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.524241, 36.455908 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

An unspecific number of civilians were killed, and as many as five were injured, including four women and an adult male, following an alleged Russian and Syrian regime air and artillery strike on Otaya, local media reported.

Sources were conflicted as to who was to blame. Some blamed the Syrian regime for the raids, while others blamed Russian warplanes. A few simply blamed “warplanes” not attributing any blame.

Sources, including Smart News, reported that there were a total of seven strikes on the vicinity. Missiles were reportedly used. 

Footage shows the destruction in the aftermath of the incident, which included damage to civilian homes.

The wounded were taken to medical facilities in the aftermath.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

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

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Otaya, 27th July 2017. (via Step News Agency)
  • A girl revives medical treatment in the aftermath of an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Otaya, 27th July 2017. (via SN4HR)

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 July 1st - 31st 2017.

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
    5
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]