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

RS1031

Incident date

July 22, 2016

Location

بني زيد, Bani Zeid, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.235135, 37.130699 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A woman named Hasna’a Ali Danon, aged 55, was killed on July 22nd by alleged Russian and Assad regime warplanes in Bani Zeid, sources on the ground reported.

Syrian Observatory for Human Rights blamed the Assad regime for “artillery shelling” and “warplane shelling” on the neighbourhood. The reports claimed it caused destruction to buildings with no civilian casualties.

Halab News reported the named victim. Moreover, a local news source tweeted: “Russian warplanes shelled the Bani Zeid neighbourhood and Al-Atarib in the countryside of Aleppo with cluster bombs.”

Two pro-regime twitter feeds blamed both Assad regime and Russia for the raids, which reportedly included cluster bombs.

Multiple sources confirmed that attacks also took place in Al-Atareb, Bustan Al-Qaser, Castello and Handarat.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Hasna’a Ali Danon
55 years old female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • 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]

  • Halab Today lists martyrs on June 22nd and says at 0’20” that Hasna Ali Danoun, 55 years old, died from Russian raids in Bani Zeid (via Halab Today)

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 July 16th – 27th 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
  • (1 woman)
  • 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

RS4072

Incident date

August 25, 2019

Location

معرشورين, Ma'ar Shourin, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.667511, 36.727252 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local media reported between one and two civilians killed and an unspecified number wounded in an alleged Russia or regime airstrike on Ma’ar Shourin in August 25, 2019.

A tweet by @omar_alhalaby alleged that “Russian warplanes target civilians’ cars while they are fleeing the town as a result of the violent bombardment on them, which led to the burning of all these cars and all that they carry. The initial toll is two martyrs and several injuries.” A video posted along with the tweet shows the smoke and black smoke.

Videos posted by @ufuk_sy and @hafeztaraman also show the fire caused by the airstrikes.

Horrya news and tweets from @jisrtv and @MasarPressNet identified only one civilian as being killed while @mhmadtr tweeted about two martyrs.

Sources were conflicted as to whether Russia or the regime were responsible while most sources did not attribute the strikes.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

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

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of an airstrike on Ma’ar Shourin, Idlib, August 25th 2019.
  • The aftermath of an airstrike on Ma'ar Shourin, Aug 25th (via MMC)
  • The aftermath of an airstrike on Ma'ar Shourin, Aug 25th (via MMC)

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
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • 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

RS1220

Incident date

September 4, 2016

Location

الزربة, Al Zorba, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.06763, 36.97987 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One child died and other civilians were wounded in an airstrike on Al Zorba, according to local media. Most sources blamed Russia, though the Syrian Network for Human Rights pointed to both Russia and Syrian regime.

Syrian Press Centre, Syrian News, Alwatan and the Smart News Agency all said that several civilians were wounded in a Russian strike. Smart put the number at four.

According to the Step News Agency, one child was wounded. The source also said that Russia was responsible.

However, the Shaam News Network reported that “Russian and Assad’s aircraft launched intensive air raids bomb using phosphorous and cluster bombs on the neighborhoods of the city of Aleppo”, including Al Zorba, where one civilian died and others were injured.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Salal Jweid
15 years old male killed

Summary

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

  • Photographs of material destruction in Al Zorba following alleged Russian strikes (Tweet via @thiqanewsagency)

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
    1
  • (1 child)
  • 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

RS1415

Incident date

October 8, 2016

Location

البلاط, al Balat, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.197343, 37.171533 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to local media, the neighbourhood al-Balat in Aleppo was hit by air and/or artillery strikes which led to the death of one child and the injury of several more people, including the child’s father. Sources were conflicted as to whether this was the work of Russia or the Assad regime, although the majority of reports pointed to the regime.

Syrian Press Center reported that “the regime targeted Al-Balat neighbourhood with surface to surface missiles and killed a child and wounded his father after midnight – Friday and early Saturday”.

Most of the sources pointed to the Assad regime as the responsible – these were Syriamubasher, jsirtv, Syrian Press Center, Sky News Arabic, Smart News and Palestine today.

However, two sources – Orient News and LCCSY – attributed the strike to Russia.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

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

Incident Code

RS1447

Incident date

October 13, 2016

Location

‏التمانعه‬, al Tamana, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.458501, 36.747808 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One woman died and three other civilians including two children were wounded in an alleged Russian or regime air or artillery strike on Al Tamana’a town, according to local media.

The Step News Agency reported that “Russian planes launched several raids using bunker-busting missiles after mid night targeting al Taman’a town in southern Idlib, killing a woman and injuring three others”.

Tr_spm, Jisrtv and RFS media office reported that regime artillery shelled Al Tamana’a.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Khaled Al-Agha
Child injured
Wafa’a Al-Agha
Child injured
Ahmad Al-Agha
injured

The victims were named as:

Ansaf Al-Mur’i
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • 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, Syrian Regime

Sources (22) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • White Helmets and other civilians help to rescue civilians trapped in their homes following an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Al Tamana, Oct 13th (via Qasioun)
  • Damage to a car in the immediate aftermath of the alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid. (via Altamana)
  • Civilian rescue at night in the immediate aftermath of the alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid. (via Altamana)
  • Civilian rescue at night in the immediate aftermath of the alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid. (via Altamana)
  • Civilian rescue at night in the immediate aftermath of the alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid. (via Altamana)
  • An image depicting the exact moment the raid hit Al Tamana, Oct 13th (via Anapress)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Al Tamana’a (التمانعه), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.458501, 36.747808. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

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
  • (1 woman)
  • 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, Syrian Regime

Sources (22) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1532

Incident date

November 5, 2016

Location

الميدعاني, Al Midani , Damascus , Syria

Geolocation

33.54769, 36.507912 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian was killed and others were injured in airstrikes that struck Al Midiani town in Eastern Ghouta, Damascus.

According to multiple sources, a series of three air raids were launched by warplanes – with LCCSY specifying the use of thermobaric missiles. An image posted by @SCDrifdimashq shows a victim of the airstrikes being carried on a stretcher with serious wounds.

Local sources were conflicted as to who was responsible for the attacks, with the Local Coordination Committees of Syria blaming Russia while Smart attributed the airstrikes to the Syrian regime.

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 (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • The victim of an alleged Russian and Syrian regime raid on Al Midani, 6th November 2016. (via @SCDrifdimashq)

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 November 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
    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 (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1559

Incident date

November 10, 2016

Location

الأتارب, Al Atarib, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1375975, 36.8284035 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian was killed in an airstrike on Al Atarib – however sources were conflicted as to whether Russia or Syrian regime warplanes were responsible. Additionally, some sources did not attribute blame at all.

One source reported that phosphorous bombs and missiles were used.

@HalabNewsN even specified the use of C5 missiles. However, @Thiqanewsagency argued that warplanes struck the city of Al-Atareb with “heavy machine guns” from warplanes. We can assume this is an airstrike over ground artillery, despite the language.  

There are no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Marcel Abd al Jabbar Saleh
Age unknown from Al Atarib killed

Summary

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

Incident Code

RS1566

Incident date

November 11, 2016

Location

عندان, Anadan, Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

One adult male civilian was killed in an alleged Russian airstrike in Anadan, Aleppo. There are no reports on any injured civilians.

All four sources blamed Russian warplanes for the event. However, a single source claimed that the victim was killed on the 9th of November 2016, whereas the others report he was killed on the 11th of November.

There are no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ahmad Saroukh
Adult male from Aleppo killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 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 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
  • (1 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]