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)

Belligerent
Russian Military
Country
Syria
start date
end date
Civilian Harm Status
Belligerent Assessment
Declassified Documents
Infrastructure
text search
1846 Results
sort by:
Sort by:
Incident date
Civilian deaths alleged
Civilian deaths confirmed by belligerent

Incident Code

RS565

Incident date

February 7, 2016

Location

الصبخة, Sabheh, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

35.20154, 40.42399 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One woman, named by the Violations Documentation Center as Fatemah Naeif al Abdullah, was killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Sabheh according to some local sources – though one other report said the regime was responsible. The woman was also named by Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently, who said she was 24-years-old.

Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies also blamed Russia. However, the Syrian Network for Human Rights blamed the Assad regime. It named the same woman, but said she was killed “due to regime shelling on Mouhasan town“, not on Sabheh.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Fatemah Naeif al-Abdullah
Adult female Named by VDC 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 (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ 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.”

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 (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS598

Incident date

February 12, 2016

Location

el Na'aymeh, Dara'a, Syria

Geolocation

32.6330753, 36.1593956 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least two civilians died and three or more were wounded in alleged Russian airstrikes on el Na’aymeh, according to two local sources.

Alyakeen Media published a number of videos showing destruction of the town and the removal of dead and wounded bodies from the rubble. Voiceovers in videos said that the strikes were carried out by Russia.

At 2.59 in one video, airstrikes are taking place while they are filming, and the ‘reporter’ says that Russian warplanes had not left the sky over the area for two days.

Step News Agency reported that Russia carried out “nearly seven airstrikes” on Na’aymeh, while the town was also subjected to “violent artillery and missile bombardment from regime forces in the town stadium“.

Further research is required to provide casualty numbers.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

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

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • People pulling the wounded from under the rubble after the bombing of the Russian aviation.
  • Continuation of the video above chronologically; shows civil defense carrying and evacuating the dead from the debris.
  • Video shows result of destruction on civilian homes in Na’aymeh.
  • Video shows airstrikes as they are happening on el Na’aymeh, V.O. claims Russian airstrikes.
  • A video tour of the town of el Na’aymeh, ‘reporter’ showing damage and destruction of homes. (Town appears totally deserted). At 2.59’ airstrikes take place while they are filming, ‘reporter’ says it’s Russian airplanes which have not left the sky over this area for two days.

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 woman)
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS630

Incident date

February 16, 2016

Location

تل الضمان‬, Tal al Daman, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

35.810278, 37.252222 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to six civilians were killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on southern Aleppo, according to local sources. They were named by the VDC.

However according to Syria Martrys, Al-Haj Barakat (named  by the VDC) was a militant, not a civilian and died from a gun shot. It also listed Hameed Ramadan (65 years old) and his grandchild (female 10 years) as killed in Tal Al-daman in the Aleppo countryside. These victims were also named by Hassan.

Alsory_Alhor said two died and others including women were injured “following air raids by Russian Aviation which targeted rural tal Al Daman“.

Both Syriapc and FreeSyriaTV also blamed Russia, putting the death toll at two civilians with more injured – including many women, and an unidentified female child.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mazen al-Haj Barakat
Adult male Listed by VDC killed
Abo Suleiman
Adult male Listed by VDC killed
Abo al-Alaa
Adult male Listed by VDC killed
Omar al-Ahmad al-Hussain
Adult male Listed by VDC killed
Hameed al-Ramadan
Adult male Listed by VDC killed
son of Hameed al-Ramadan
Child male Listed by VDC killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 6
  • (1–2 children)
  • 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 (7) [ 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
    3 – 6
  • (1–2 children)
  • 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 (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS662

Incident date

February 24, 2016

Location

حرنبوش, Haranbush, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

36.07548, 36.63686 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to four civilians including a mother and her one or two children died in airstrikes on Haranbush, according to local sources – though reports are conflicted as to whether this was the work of Russia or the Assad regime.

Among the sources alleging that this was a Russian strike were Chamtime, Syrian Revolution and Al Jazeera.

However, many sources – including LCCSY and Alamawi –also alleged that the regime was responsible – though Shaam News Network initially reported “warplanes believed to be belonging to the Russian enemy” killed three civilians when their homes were targeted with vacuum missiles. They added that “a large number” were also wounded. In a later report, it appeared to change position and attribute the incident to the regime.

Reports by the Syrian Network for Human Rights also blamed regime shelling, which it  said claimed the lives of a woman and her child.

The Syrian Human Rights Center reported the death of “the family of Al-Majid hospital director, Doctor Maher Keda…consisting of his wife and only son, in addition to the two women relatives, through air strikes on the town.” It did not say who was responsible.

SAMS tweeted: “We extend our deepest condolences to doctor Maher Kida, director of Women and Children hospital in Harbnosh, whose wife and child were martyred due to the bombardment of the town.”

Idlib Media said that a strike was carried out by a “Su 24 fighter”, killing a woman and a child and injuring seven more.Syrian Mirror reported that a woman and her two children died in a Russian raid. According to Gulfeyes and Akhbar Alaan, the strikes were carried out by both Russia and the regime.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Wife of Maher Kida
Adult female named by the Syrian Human Rights Centre killed
Son of Maher Kida
Child male named by the Syrian Human Rights Centre killed

The victims were named as:

Yahia Keda
0 years old female killed
Ahmad Saleh Majajo
Adult male died due to his wounds killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 4
  • (1–2 children1–3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–7
  • 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 (37) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • 'The baby Yahia Keda, age 4 months died with his mother in regime warplanes missiles fired on Harbanoush village in Idlib governorate, February 24th 2016.' (via SN4HR)
  • Ahmad Saleh Majajo, killed in an alleged Russian and Syrian Regime airstrike. (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 published no known record of strikes in Syria from February 17th – February 29th.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 4
  • (1–2 children1–3 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–7
  • 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 (37) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS694

Incident date

February 28, 2016

Location

جسر الشغور, Jisr al Shughour, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.81425, 36.319812 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One woman and her unborn child were killed and up to 20 other civilians injured in airstrikes on Jisr al Shughour, according to local sources. Two alleged that Russia was responsible. However a third (the Syrian Network for Human Rights) blames the Assad regime.

Shaam News reported that Russian warplanes carried out air raids targeting the Christian quarter (near the church) of the town in what they said was a “clear break of the truce“. Activists told the Network that there were three strikes by missiles, causing a severe explosion which led to the death of Farah A’bbadi and the fetus she was carrying. It added that more than 20 other civilians were wounded.

Baladi reported: “Our correspondent reported that there was an air raid by Russian planes in the centre of the town of Jisr al Shoughour which is inhabited by thousands of IDP and minutes later they returned with cluster bombs which killed a woman and her baby and more than 12 civilians were injured most of them children some of them in a critical condition.”

However, according to a news brief by the Syrian Network for Human Rights the regime was responsible for the incident: “at least 2 victims (a woman and her baby) died in regime warplanes missiles fired on Jisr AL Shoughour city in Idlib governorate, February 28, 2016.”

In addition to the dead woman and her unborn child, Idlib Network News (who didn’t identify the warplanes responsible) named some injured civilians.

 

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Hamza Assi
Age unknown injured
Mohammed Assi
Age unknown injured

The victims were named as:

Farah Abadi
Adult female pregnant killed
Ammar Hawas
Age unknown injured
Ali Khudur
Age unknown injured
Amir Al-Hussein
Age unknown injured
Kahya Mamo
Age unknown injured
Fadrous Kaheel
Age unknown injured
Abdo Al-Abdo
Age unknown injured
Lyan Hajjar
Age unknown injured
Fatima Hajjar
Age unknown injured
Abdulbaset Hussein
Age unknown injured
Abdulkader Sha’ban
Age unknown injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–20
  • 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 (27) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • The moment Russian warplanes allegedly struck the Christian area of Jisr al Shughour, February 28th 2016 (via SNN)
  • The exact moments the raids fell. (via, Jisir Coordination)
  • Chaos in the aftermath of the incident. (via, Jisir Coordination)
  • Wounded civilians are rescued from the rubble following an alleged Russian and Syrian Regime warplanes. (via, The White Helmets)

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 strikes in Syria from February 17th – February 29th.

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
    12–20
  • 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 (27) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS726

Incident date

March 11, 2016

Location

الجنينة, Al Jneina, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

35.3680555, 40.1196671 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between two and six civilians including one woman and one girl died when the remains of a bombed exploded in the village of Al Jneina.

The Violations Documentation Center listed two unidentified adult male victims, and said that they died from an explosion of remnants of a cluster bombed that had been dropped by Russia. Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently also reported that it was the remains of cluster bombs – “which are being fired constantly by Russian planes” – that caused the deaths, though said the incident happened “yesterday“, which would place it on March 10th.

Three other sources also put the death toll at two and blamed a Russian cluster bomb explosion. The Syrian Network for Human Rights put the death toll at six, but said that the cause was an “unknown source landmine“.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 6
  • (1 child1 woman2 men)
  • 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]

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 strikes in Syria for March 1st to March 30th.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 6
  • (1 child1 woman2 men)
  • 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

RS758

Incident date

April 22, 2016

Location

حي بستان القصر, Bustan al Qasr (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.19569, 37.14229 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources reported that between 18 and 20 civilians died in alleged regime and Russian raids on neighborhoods in Aleppo.

According to the Shaam News Network, “regime and Russian planes” carried our raids “targeting most of Aleppo’s neighbourhoods: Tareeq al Bab, Al Mayssar, al Rashideen, Bustan al Qasr, Al Marja, Sallahudeen, Aqyool, Bab al Nayrab, Bab al Hadeed, Al Mouwasalat, al Haydariya, al Mashhad, Al Ansari, Al Sukkari, Al Salheen and al Shi’aar which led to the fall of dozens of dead and wounded, all of whom are civilian. The final count is more than 20 martyr in Bustan al Qasr, Salah Al Deen, al Muwasalat, al Salheen and Aqyoo”.

In a tweet, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that five people had been killed “in shelling on Bustan Al Qaser and Anadan, Aleppo”. In a later report it said that “no less than 10 were killed or wounded by aerial bombardment targeted Bustan al-Qaser neighborhood“, but they did not identify the planes. It later added that a minimum of 19 civilians died in 14 strikes by “warplanes on areas in the neighborhoods of Al-Ansari, Bostan al-Qasr, al-Sekkary, Bab al-Nairab, al-MashHad, Haidariya and al-Salhin and other neighborhoods controlled by factions in Aleppo“, and said that the death toll was likely to rise due to the seriousness of injuries.

However, the Syrian Network for Human Rights blamed the regime for the attacks in Bustan Al Qasr , Salah Al Deen (in which they said one child died), Aqyool (in which 10-year-old Abdul Rahman was killed) and Bab Al Nairab (in which five died).

The Violations Documentation Center named Abdulr-Rahman Al-Jesri, a 13 year old boy, and said he was killed by shelling in Aqiwl. It blamed the “Syrian government and affiliated militias”.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Abdul-Rahman Al-Jesri
13 years old male killed
Abdul Rahman
10 years old male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    18 – 20
  • (1–2 children)
  • 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 (8) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A victim is treated following an airstrike on Aleppo, April 22nd. (via White Helmets)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Victim of the shelling in Aleppo (via SOHR)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Victim of the shelling in Aleppo (via SOHR)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Aftermath of the shelling in Aleppo (via SOHR)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Victim of the shelling in Aleppo (via SOHR)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Victim of the shelling in Aleppo (via SOHR)
  • Aftermath of the strikes targeting Aleppo (via Aleppo White Helmets)
  • Aftermath of the airstrikes targeting Aleppo (via Aleppo White Helmets)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

The Kremlin has issued no public accounts of airstrikes in Syria from April 1st – 30th.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    18 – 20
  • (1–2 children)
  • 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

RS791

Incident date

May 3, 2016

Location

ياقد العدس, Yaqid al Adas, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.2645222, 37.0187463 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that three civilians from the same family including one woman and one child died in “suspected” Russian shelling on Yaqid al Adas.

Multiple other sources also reported that a man and his wife were killed. Some said that the child was seriously injured, others put the death toll at three: “Three civilians were killed including a child due to regime artillery shelling in Yaqid Al Adas”, according to a tweet by Shahba.

Muhanadkatib1 tweeted a photo of a “two month young baby”, saying that it among the victims together with its parents.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • (1 child1 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, Syrian Regime

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • A young baby was reportedly killed or injured in Russian and/or regime strikes in Yaqid al Adas village. (via Muhanadkatib1)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Civil Defense: Bombardment of the warplanes on the town of Yaqid Al-Ads which resulted in the death of 3 people. (via Civil Defence)

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 May 1st – 31st

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime 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
    3
  • (1 child1 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, Syrian Regime

Sources (10) [ collapse]