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

RS1745

Incident date

December 5, 2016

Location

الانصاري, Al Ansari, Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1529125, 37.075864 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A single source reported that five unidentified civilians were killed “following Russian enemy raids on Al Ansari neighbourhood”. 

There are no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • 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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia has not reported any specific strikes between December 1st – 31st 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
    5
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2141

Incident date

April 18, 2017

Location

أورم الكبرى, Urma Al-Kubra, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1475457, 36.9448239 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Five civilians from one family died in an alleged Russia or Assad regime airstrike on Urma Al-Kubra, according to sources on the ground.

Aljazeera and the Step News Agency were among sources pointing to Russia.

However, the Syrian Network for Human Rights blamed “Syrian-Russian alliance warplanes” – putting the death toll at “five civilians from the same family, including two children and a woman.”

Akhbar Alan and Halab Today reported that children had been removed alive from the rubble.

 

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of an airstrike on Urma Al-Kubra, April 18th 2017 (via HNN)
  • The aftermath of an airstrike on Urma Al-Kubra, which killed a family of five, April 18th (via Aleppo24)
  • The aftermath of an airstrike on Urma Al-Kubra, which killed a family of five, April 18th (via Aleppo24)

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
    5
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2544

Incident date

September 26, 2017

Location

دوما , Douma, eastern Ghouta, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

Airstrikes on Douma reportedly hit civilian homes and a centre for people with special needs. The centre was destroyed, and local media reported that up to five civilians were killed. Up to a further 20 civilian were said to have been wounded. Sources were conflicted as to whether this was the work of Russia or the Assad regime.

Syrian Voice reported: “Russian warplanes targeted a centre that specialised in the rehabilitation and care of the victims of war on Tuesday [Sept 26th] in the city of Douma in the countryside of Damascus, killing two residents of the center and a member of medical staff. There were also a number of injured people, and the centre was rendered out of service”.

According to Zamanalwasl, “Russian warplanes carried out three air strikes loaded with high-explosive missiles targeting residential areas in the city of Douma. Medical sources in the city revealed that the number of wounded exceeded 20, and while there were no confirmed deaths [at the time of reporting], the civil defence teams continued to aid the wounded and inspect the places of shelling.”

However, a number of other sources attributed the strike to the regime. For example, @Ammar_alhasan tweeted: “Assad militias bombed a centre for the rehabilitation of disabled people with special needs in the city of Douma. Two people were killed and a large number were wounded”.

The Step News Agency named Khalil Miassa Abu Mahmoud, who worked at the centre, as one of four fatalities. It referred to him as “one of the best of people – everyone loved him”, adding that “his son Abdul Rahman Abu Ali was martyred about nine months ago”.

According to the Facebook page of the Local Coordination Committees of Syria, a civil defence volunteer was one of the victims, though the source wasn’t clear whether he was killed or wounded. Moaaz alhamza also noted that the “many casualties” included civil defence volunteers.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Majed Qadeesh
Adult male killed
Yasin al-Hanafi
Adult male killed
Khalil Mayasa
Age unknown male killed
Subhi Al Silta
Age unknown killed
Ziad Rihani
Age unknown killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 5
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–20
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (20) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (8) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The White Helmets said: "Even the center for people with special needs was not saved from bombing by the Syrian regime". Warning: distressing footage showing people being rescued from the centre following a strike.

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The aftermath of the strike on the centre for people with special needs, Douma, Sept 26th.
  • Translation: "Assad militias bombed a center for the rehabilitation of disabled people with special needs in the city of #Douma. there were two martyrs in the center and a large number of wounded".
  • Images of vicitms of the strike.
  • More footage of the aftermath of a strike on civilian homes in Douma, Sept 26th.
  • Images of the aftermath of strikes on residential areas in Douma, Sept 26th.
  • Khalil Mayasa, killed in a strike on a centre for people with special needs in Douma, Sept 26th. Sources said that he worked at the centre. (via Moafak Aladnan)
  • Bloodied clothes following a strike on Douma, Sept 26th (via Moaaz alhamza)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 5
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–20
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (20) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS053

Incident date

October 18, 2015

Location

الغنطو, Al Ghantu, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.82179, 36.69605 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The Violations Documentation Centre named Omar Al Sheikh Hammoud from Talbiseh as a civilian victim of a Russian airstrike on Al Ghantu. He had been severely injured in a strike the day before. Video filmed on October 18th shows rebels attempting to shoot down a suspected Russian aircraft over the town. A major Syrian Army ground offensive was also reported in the area.

At Mr Hammoud’s funeral that day, four more civilians were reported killed in a fresh Russian airstrike. As Associated press reported: “The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and activist news platform Syrian Revolution Talbiseh said warplanes believed to be Russian targeted mourners at a funeral in Homs province’s al-Ghanto village, killing four civilians. Homs-based activist Bebars al-Telawy said the civilians were burying a man who died from wounds sustained a day earlier when the planes struck.”

One of the new fatalities was named by VDC as Abdulqader Salem al-Hajwani.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Omar Al Sheikh Hammoud
Adult male killed
Abdulqader Salem al-Hajwani
Adult male named by VDC killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (2 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Unknown

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    "Talbissa - the martyr Omar Al Sheikh Hammoud was martyred as a result of the aerial bombardments on the town of Ghintu"

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Ghantu (الغنطو), for which the generic coordinates are: 34.82179, 36.69605. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Unknown Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Unknown
  • Unknown position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

Unknown
Official source

The Russians made no public reference to any airstrikes in Homs governorate for October 18th-19th 2015.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (2 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Unknown

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2987

Incident date

February 6, 2018

Location

مسرابا, Mesraba, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.55027, 36.39659 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The town of Mesraba, Damascus, was hit by an airstrike that killed between one and five civilians, including two children and at least one women, and wounded several others, local media reported. It was unclear whether Russia or the Syrian regime was to blame.

According to local reports, the incident in Mesraba was one out of many that day in eastern Ghouta. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), called it the “most bloody day in Syria in the latest few weeks” referring to the bombardments of eastern Ghouta.

While Masar News reported one fatality, the remaining sources agreed that the strike had killed at least five civilians. SOHR and the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SN4HR) reported that two children were among the victims, adding that one or two women were also killed.

The Twitter account Qais Shami reported that “a father misses his three children in Masraba as a result of the missiles fired by the criminal regime’s planes”, suggesting that the number of killed children reached three and that they were siblings.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 5
  • (2–3 children1–2 women)
  • 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
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A little girl was reportedly among the victims of the contested airstrike in Mesreba, Damascus on February 6th, 2018 (via AJA News)
  • The moment Mesreba, Damascus, is being hit by the contested airstrike on Februar 6th, 2018 (via @HosamDamascene)
  • The moment Mesreba, Damascus, is being hit by the contested airstrike on Februar 6th, 2018 (via Abu Qusai)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A little girl was reportedly among the victims of the contested airstrike in Mesreba, Damascus on February 6th, 2018 (via Syrian Network for Human Rights)

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

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 February 1st - 28th 2018.


Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 5
  • (2–3 children1–2 women)
  • 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
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2560

Incident date

September 29, 2017

Location

اورم الكبرى, Orme Al Kubra, Aleppo, Aleppo , Syria

Geolocation

36.147179, 36.9367003 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two consecutive air raids using cluster munition and thermobaric rockets struck the town of Orme Al Kubra near Aleppo, resulting in the deaths of between three to five persons and the injuring many others, according to local media. Russian or regime warplanes were reported to have been to blame.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported five civilian casualties, including three children. Smart News Agency reported four civilians killed as a consequence of the strike.

Multiple reports named three civilians from the same family as killed.

Several other sources also said that the regime was carrying out strikes on the area during this time.

The Violations Documention Centre said that “Syrian government and affiliated militias” were responsible for the deaths of three named civilians.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Hamze Ahmad Attal
Adult male killed
Qamar Ahmad Attal
Adult female killed
Khadeja Ahmad Attall
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 5
  • (1–3 children2 women)
  • 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 (27) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • Civil defense team working to remove civilians stuck underneath the rubble in the aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on the village of Orme Al Kubra on September 29th (via Smart News Agency)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on Orme Al Kubra, Aleppo, Sept 29th.
  • Dead bodies are recovered in the aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on Orme Al Kubra, Aleppo, Sept 29th.

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic images of dead civilians following an alleged Russian airstrike on Orme Al Kubra, Aleppo, Sept 29th.

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Translation: "A massacre committed by a Russian airliner in the town of Orme Al Kubra in Aleppo`s countryside"

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic images of dead civilians following an alleged Russian airstrike on Orme Al Kubra, Aleppo, Sept 29th.

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Graphic images of dead civilians following an alleged Russian airstrike on Orme Al Kubra, Aleppo, Sept 29th.

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
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 5
  • (1–3 children2 women)
  • 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 (27) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3064

Incident date

February 22, 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

Between three and five civilians, including at least one child, were killed and several left wounded by Russian and/or Assad waged warplanes striking in Arbeen, eastern Ghouta, Damascus, local media reported.

Without specifying how many were killed on February 22nd alone, Qasioun News and al-Youm reported that between ten and 13 civilians, including five children, were killed in the last 24 hours in Arbeen.

Qasioun blamed both “heavy air, missile and artillery bombardment,” adding that more than 100 also were left wounded during the past day’s shelling.

Specifically reporting from Arbeen on Thursday, February 22nd, other media outlets reported between three and five civilian fatalities. The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SN4HR) reported “at least” three fatalities, including one girl, while Damaski Agency and Step News Agency reported five victims.

Damaski Agency also reported the launch of explosive barrels while Damascus Media Center tweeted that clutser bombs had been used.

The majority of sources, including Step News Agency and SN4HR, identified joint Russia/Assad forces as responsible, while Damaski Agency was the only source who only blamed Russia.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 5
  • (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 (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • The immediate aftermath of the contested shelling of Arbeen, Damascus, February 22nd, 2018 (via Damaski Agency)

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 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
    3 – 5
  • (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 (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2749

Incident date

November 23, 2017

Location

الجرذي, al-Jarthi, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

34.886667, 40.606111 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to five civilians including one child and two women were killed and many were left wounded as Russian or Assad warplanes struck al-Jarthi, Deir Ezzor, possibly supplemented by artillery shelling, local media reported.

Reports spanned from three to five civilian fatalities.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SN4HR) reported that one girl and two women from the same family were killed, blaming Syrian regime artillery” for their deaths.

The remaining sources reported five civilian fatalities, though all mentioned that two women – the wives of a Eid al-Fahmi – and his child were killed.

Moreover, one female IDP from the village of Abu Hardub and a man identified as “the son of  Mohammed Al Dahsh” were among the fatalities, as reported by for example DeirEzzor24.

DeirEzzor24 also reported that many civilians were left wounded.

Both SN4HR and DeirEzzor24 blamed the Syrian regime, though SN4HR blamed Assad artillery and not airstrikes like DeirEzzor24. Meanwhile Euphrates Post and al-Raya identified Russia as responsible.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Wife of Eid al-Fahmi
Age unknown female killed
Wife of Eid al-Fahmi
Age unknown female killed
Daughter of Eid al-Fahmi
Child female killed

The victims were named as:

Mohammed Al Dahsh
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 5
  • (1 child2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–8
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Image published in association with reports about shelling on November 23rd, 2017 in Deir Ezzor, including al-Jarthi, though the exact location of this image is not clear (via DeirEzzor24)

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 4th - 20th 2017.

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 – 5
  • (1 child2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–8
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]