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

RS3102

Incident date

February 24, 2018

Location

مديرا, Madera, Damascus , Syria

Geolocation

33.544613, 36.3861 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In this single-source event, Step News Agency reported that the Syrian regime in cooperation with Russia, continued its aerial shelling of eastern Ghouta, including in Madera.

While the report made no specific mentioning of civilian harm, it is assessed that at least two civilians were wounded as it was noted how the shelling “resulted in general injuries to the target areas.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (1) [ 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 February 1st - 28th 2018.

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
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3080

Incident date

February 24, 2018

Location

حرستا, Harasta, Damascus , Syria

Geolocation

33.55869, 36.36515 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least two but as many as 35 civilians were killed and several wounded as Harasta, eastern Ghouta, Damascus, was subject to aerial – and possibly also artillery – shelling, local media reported, though apportion of blame was unclear.

As the shelling of eastern Ghouta continued on its seventh day, Harasta was again on February 24th subject to airstrikes, especially in residential areas, as noted by several media, including the Civil Defence.

al-Jazeera added that Harasta, in addition to airstrikes, also had been struck with land-to-land missiles.

The death toll spanned among the sources from two to three, the latter reported by both the Syrian Network for Human Rights and Step News Agency.

However, al-Arabiya reported as the only source that the incident killed as many as 35 civilians. The media, who cited  The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported  “the renewal of air and missile strikes on Saturday morning, the implementation of military aircraft (carried out, ed.) four raids on areas in the city of Harasta, killing 35 people, including 8 children, and dozens of wounded.”

No other sources echoed that reporting, and though al-Arabiya’s figures will be registred below, it is done so with a great degree of uncertainty.

Moreover, reports mentioned that a number of civilians were left wounded, while al-Arabiya put the toll at “dozens”.

Sources were not clear in terms of culpability, as blame was appointed to either the Syrian regime, Russia, or both across the reports.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 25
  • (0–8 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–24
  • 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 (1) [ collapse]

  • One of the victims of the contested shelling, Harasta, Damascus, February 24th, 2018 (via Syrian Civil Defence)

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 February 1st - 28th 2018.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 25
  • (0–8 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–24
  • 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

RS3104

Incident date

February 24, 2018

Location

النشابية, Al Nashabiya, Damascus , Syria

Geolocation

33.514157, 36.487656 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In this single-source event, Step News Agency reported that the Syrian regime in cooperation with Russia had waged aerial and artillery shelling in Al Nashabiya, eastern Ghouta, Damascus, possibly leading to civilian harm.

While the report made no specific mentioning of civilian harm, it is assessed that at least two civilians were wounded as it was noted by Step News Agency how the shelling “resulted in general injuries to the target areas.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (1) [ 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 February 1st - 28th 2018.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3083

Incident date

February 24, 2018

Location

بيت سوى, Beit Sawa, Damascus , Syria

Geolocation

33.537531, 36.399937 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to two civilians were killed and several left wounded as airstrikes, carried out by either Russia and/or the Syrian regime, struck Beit Sawa, Damascus, local media reported.

While not providing many details, local sources reported that airstrikes had struck Beit Sawa, and most reports put the death toll at one. Step News Agency, however, reported two civilian fatalities.

Step News Agency also reported that several were left wounded.

Sources were not clear in terms of culpability, as blame was appointed to either the Syrian regime, Russia, or both across the reports.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • 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
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (5) [ 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 February 1st - 28th 2018.


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
    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
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3105

Incident date

February 24, 2018

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

Russian and/or Assad-waged shelling potentially resulted in civilian harm, as the town of Otaya, eastern Ghouta, Damascus, was struck by both airstrikes, explosive barrels and artillery, local media reported.

Besides from reports of airstrikes and artillery shelling, both Oday Hussein and Homam al-Hassan, reported how the town also was stuck by explosive barrels, launched from helicopters.

Step News Agency was the only source that indicated that the shelling had resulted in civilian harm. While the report made no specific mentioning of civilian harm, it is assessed that at least two civilians were wounded as it was noted by how the shelling “resulted in general injuries to the target areas.”

Also, sources were not clear in terms of culpability. al-Arabiya blamed the Syrian regime, Oday Hussein pointed to Russian forces only, while finally, Step News Agency blamed both belligerents.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • 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, Syrian Regime

Sources (4) [ 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 February 1st - 28th 2018.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • 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, Syrian Regime

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3098

Incident date

February 24, 2018

Location

عربين, Arbeen, Damascus , Syria

Geolocation

33.538143, 36.364331 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to local sources, Russian and/or Assad-waged warplanes and helicopters struck Arbeen, eastern Ghouta, Damascus, killing up to three civilians, including two children as well as wounding “dozens”.

Smart News Agency reported that “nine raids were carried out by warplanes likely to be Russian on the city of Arbeen (…). The bombing killed three civilians and wounded dozens in addition to panic and panic among the people.”

Other sources, such as Omar Madaniah, put the death toll at two; reportedly a pair of child siblings.

The number of wounded spanned from a few to as many as dozens, as reported by Smart News Agency.

While some reports pointed to either Russian or Syrian regime culpability, most reports blamed both belligerents for the strikes.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–24
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The civil defence providing aid to a man who lost his feet due to the contested shelling in Arbeen, Damascus, February 24th, 2018 (via Syrian Civil Defence)
  • The bodies of two siblings, both killed by the contested shelling in Arbeen, Damascus, February 24th, 2018(via Omar Madaniah)
  • Image published along with reports of aerial shelling in Arbeen, February 24th, 2018, though the exact location is not clear (via Amina Khan)
  • Reportedly an Assad-waged helicopter to the left along with a Russian warplane to the right, as they are both striking Arbeen, Damascus, February 24th, 2018 (via

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 February 1st - 28th 2018.

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 – 3
  • (2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–24
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3119

Incident date

February 25, 2018

Location

حزة, Hazza, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.52034, 36.36494 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians were killed, including a woman, and others were injured in air and artillery strikes on Hazza, local media reported. Sources blamed the Syrian and Russian alliance for the raids.

Syrian Coalition reported that members of the “Syrian defence forces [were] working to rescue civilians in the city [due to] missiles, as part of the systematic bombing campaign launched by the regime forces on the cities and towns of Al-Ghouta.”

There are no other details 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
    3
  • (1 woman)
  • 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

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 woman)
  • 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]

Incident Code

RS3120

Incident date

February 25, 2018

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

Between 11 and 19 civilians were killed, and dozens were wounded in airstrikes on Douma, local media reported. Sources blamed both Russia and the Syrian regime for the raids.

According to Baraa, 11 people from one family were killed when a guided missile struck their home.

There was reportedly continuous shelling on the vicinity throughout the night. There were more than 200 rockets fired in the duration of the attack.

Abu Huda reported that it took up to six hours to extract two children from the rubble. The source did not report whether they were dead or wounded.

Syrian Coalition reported that Civil Defence teams worked at night and were struck “while working on the recovery of the martyrs in the city of Douma. After working more than 6 hours, the rescue teams managed to retrieve 9 martyrs and evacuate a number of injured.”

Another source added that a “40-day-old girl was hit in the head and still under intensive care”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    11 – 19
  • (0–2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (10) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Civilian casualties in the aftermath of airstrikes on Douma, 25th Feb 2018. (via Baraa)
  • Civilian casualties in the aftermath of airstrikes on Douma, 25th Feb 2018. (via Shehap)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Civilian casualties in the aftermath of airstrikes on Douma, 25th Feb 2018. (via Shehap)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Civilian casualties in the aftermath of airstrikes on Douma, 25th Feb 2018. (via Shehap)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Civilian casualties in the aftermath of airstrikes on Douma, 25th Feb 2018. (via Shehap)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An injured civilian in the aftermath of airstrikes on Douma, 25th Feb 2018. (via Douma)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An injured civilian in the aftermath of airstrikes on Douma, 25th Feb 2018. (via Douma)
  • An injured civilian in the aftermath of airstrikes on Douma, 25th Feb 2018. (via Douma)
  • An injured civilian in the aftermath of airstrikes on Douma, 25th Feb 2018. (via Douma)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Civilian casualties in the aftermath of airstrikes on Douma, 25th Feb 2018. (via Moaz)

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
    11 – 19
  • (0–2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–24
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]