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

RS2136

Incident date

April 17, 2017

Location

شنان, Shanan, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.730271, 36.619461 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least five and as many as dozens of civilians were injured in an airstrike on a hospital in Shana, local media reported. Most sources blamed Russia, though there was an allegation against the regime.

According to Jisrtv, “The hospital in the village of Shanan was put out of service by the bombing of the Russian occupation aircraft with missiles and cluster bombs, which also resulted in the injury of members of the medical staff.”

Syria Mirror reported: “The Russian warplanes launched several air strikes with rockets and cluster bombs at Al-Ikhlas Hospital in the village of Shanan in Jabal Al-Zawiya, wounding five members of the medical staff, including a e member of the civil defense. The building was damaged along with cars and private property”.

Alkhaleejonline said that “dozens” of hospital employees were wounded, noting that the hospital specialised in treating women and children with obstetrics and gynecology departments “where doctors perform some minor surgeries”.

Orient was alone in pointing to the Assad regime as the culprit.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–24
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Translation: 'Shanan hospital in Jabal al-Zawiyyah is out of service due to the Russian raids'
  • Another report which says that Shanan hospital was put out of service by alleged Russian strikes.

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
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–24
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2135

Incident date

April 17, 2017

Location

معرة الارتيق , Ma’arat Al-Arteek, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.250529, 37.054009 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

An unspecified number of civilians were wounded in a strike on Ma’arat Al-Arteek, according to sources on the ground.

Only the Smart News agency pointed directly to Russia; other sources didn’t apportion blame.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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

RS1234

Incident date

April 17, 2017

Location

Sumairiya, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.13447, 36.73979 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A woman and her two children were injured in an airstrike on Sumairiya, local sources said.

Syria Mirror reported: “Field activists said that on Monday 17 April 2017, warplanes attacked civilian houses in the village of Sumairiya in the southern suburb of Aleppo, injuring one mother and two children, as well as causing physical damage to the houses. ”

According to the Smart News Agency, “a woman and her children were wounded by air raids likely to be Russian on the village of Brive, southern Aleppo, according to civil defense and activists.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • 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 (3) [ 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

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

Incident Code

RS2133

Incident date

April 16, 2017

Location

دوما , Douma, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.5714804, 36.4033699 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least one civilian died and an unspecified number more were wounded in an air or artillery strike on Douma, local media said.

According to sources, there were heavy air and artillery strikes – including regime actions – on Douma on this day.

The Smart News Agency reported: “Russian warplanes targeted residential areas in the city of Duma (9 km east of Damascus), killing one civilian and injuring others, most of them children”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Wounded civilians following a strike on Douma, April 16th 2017.
  • The moment a missile struck Douma, April 16th 2017.
  • Civilians are rescued from a building by The White Helmets following a strike on Douma, April 16th 2017.

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
    1
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2132

Incident date

April 16, 2017

Location

سوحا , Suha, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.000015, 37.401581 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A single source, the Smart News agency, reported: “A number of civilians were killed and wounded by a Russian air strike on the village of Suha, 30 kilometers east of Hama city, in the center of Syria, a local source told the Smart newspaper on Sunday.

“The source added that the raids targeted the homes of civilians in the village controlled by ‘Islamic State’, killing three civilians including one child and wounding two others who were left in a critical condition.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2131

Incident date

April 16, 2017

Location

بداما , Bdama, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.811903, 36.202275 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to the Smart News Agency, “On Sunday, April 16, 2017, three civilians, including a woman, were injured in an air strike on the town of Badama in the western suburb of Idlib. The warplanes responsible are likely to be Russian”.

Jirsrtv reported: “the Civil Defense said that two people were injured by air strikes on the town of Badama in the western countryside”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–3
  • 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 (4) [ 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

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

Incident Code

RS2130

Incident date

April 16, 2017

Location

كفرزتيا , Kafr Zita, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.374143, 36.601896 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two named children died and three male civilians were wounded in an alleged Russian or regime airstrike on Kafr Zita, according to sources on the grounds. Several reports said that “rocket-propelled grenades with parachutes” were used in the attack.

Smart News Agency reported that “two children were killed and three men were wounded on Sunday when the Russian air force bombed the town of Kafr Zeita”.

However, other sources pointed to the regime. The Syrian Network for Human Rights blamed Assad, also putting the death toll at two children.

But Syria Mirror, who attributed the event to the regime and Russiam said that three children died.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

8 years old killed
14 years old male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (2–3 children3 men)
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Translation: 'Kafr Zita: Russian bombardment with parachute bombs 16/4/2017'
  • More footage of the alleged Russian strike on Kafr Zita, April 16th.
  • According to Alhadath, the regime carried out this strike on Kafr Zita, April 16th.

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 – 3
  • (2–3 children3 men)
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2129

Incident date

April 15, 2017

Location

معرة النعمان , Maarat al Numan, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

One adult-male civilian died in an alleged Russian airstrike on Maarat al Numan, according to the Violations Documentation Centre.

The Smart News Agency reported “warplanes that are likely to be Russian launched  raids on the towns of Ma’arat al-Nu’man, Jisr al-Shughur, Kafr Nabal, Bara, Kafr Safra, and al-Barajithi villages, resulting in injuries.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • 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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • 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]