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
4807 Results
sort by:
Sort by:
Incident date
Civilian deaths alleged
Civilian deaths confirmed by belligerent

Incident Code

RS2425

Incident date

September 11, 2017

Location

الخريطة , Al-Kharita, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.47132, 40.0090642 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Four to six civilians were killed and several others were injured in an ‘aerial bombardment’ on the town of al-Kharita in Deir Ezzor Governorate on September 11th 2017. Sources claimed warplanes belonging either to Russian forces or the Syrian regime conducted these air raids on a camp for internally displaced people that was set up on the banks of the Euphrates.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights noted that warplanes returned to the ‘carry out a new massacre at the site of a massacre carried out [the earlier day] in the western countryside of Deir Ezzor.’

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Ahmed Al-Mousa Al-Hussein
Age unknown male killed
Aouishah Hamdah Al Hussein
Age unknown female killed

The victims were named as:

the daughter of Jaber Yasin al-Amer
Age unknown female killed
the daughter of Ibrahim Mohammed Al-Khalif
Age unknown male killed
Melhem
Adult male A mechanic killed
Son of Melhem
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 6
  • (0–3 children0–3 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
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (7) [ 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

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 6
  • (0–3 children0–3 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
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2567

Incident date

September 29, 2017

Location

بريهة, Bariha, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.150000, 40.270000 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Province/governorate level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local sources reported an airstrike on Bariha village, resulting in the deaths of five or six civilians and an unspecified number of wounded. Sources attributed the blame to the Russian military.

Baladi put the death toll at six.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, “a man and his three children were killed”.

Mohammad Hassan, who put the death toll at five, said that it included one woman and two children.

 

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 6
  • (2–3 children1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    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 (12) [ collapse]

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
    5 – 6
  • (2–3 children1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    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 (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1185

Incident date

August 22, 2016

Location

الأنصاري, 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

Local media reported that between two and six civilians died in an alleged Russian airstrike on the Al Ansari neighbourhood of Aleppo.

The lowest death count was given by the Syrian Network for Human Rights – at two non-combatants.

However, all other sources said that six civilians died. The majority of the reports blamed Russia, though a number didn’t identify the warplanes responsible.

According to LCCSY, ”Russian Aviation committed a massacre in the Ansari neighborhood which claimed the lives of six civilians – in the initial count – and wounding of more as a primary outcome and wounding others”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 6
  • Civilians reported injured
    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 (26) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of the alleged Russian raid on An Ansari. (via JisirTV)

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 August 20th – 31st 2016.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 6
  • Civilians reported injured
    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 (26) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1379

Incident date

October 1, 2016

Location

الفرجة, al Farjeh, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.5197196, 36.8458989 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between four and six civilians including three children and several women died and up to 20 more were wounded in airstrikes on the al-Farej camp outside of Idlib, according to local media – though reports were conflicted as to whether Russia or the Syrian regime were responsible.

Qasioun and Syrian Network for Human Rights attributed the strike to Russia, though some other sources pointed to the regime.

According to the Smart News Agency, “regime warplanes carried out four raids in Al-Farjeh displaced camp in the countryside of Idlib killed six civilians, including three children and two women, and wounded others”.

Zaman al-Wasl News also blamed the regime, putting the death toll at four including a woman, and noting that cluster bombs were used in the attack.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 6
  • (3 children1–2 women)
  • 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 attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • A displaced persons camp, struck by alleged Russian and Syrian regime strikes, 1st October 2016. (via, Qausion)
  • A displaced persons camp, struck by alleged Russian and Syrian regime strikes, 1st October 2016. (via, Lebanon360)
  • A displaced persons camp, struck by alleged Russian and Syrian regime strikes, 1st October 2016. (via, Smart News)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of al-Farej (الفرجة), for which the generic coordinates are: 35,5197196, 36,8458989. 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
    4 – 6
  • (3 children1–2 women)
  • 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 attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2822

Incident date

December 28, 2017

Location

المشيرفة, Mushrifah, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.767778, 36.393333 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A mother and between three and five children were killed in airstrikes which “targeted” their home in Mushrifah, local media reported. Sources were conflicted as to who was responsible, with some attributing blame to Moscow, while others pointed to the Syrian regime.

Manahi Al Ahmad reported that the victims died as a result of “targeting the house with an explosive barrel [from] flying helicopters at 8.45 am.” They added that all the children were under the age of 12.

Both @mohamed1aldaher and @abdkramalhalbi reported that only four people were killed in the raid. But the Violations Documentation Centre named six victims

The incident occured at 08:45:00 local time.

The victims were named as:

Family members (6)

Zahra Mahmoud al-Nahar
60 years old female killed
Mazen Hasan al-Mekhlef
Child male killed
Yazan Hasan al-Mekhlef
Child male killed
Ahmad Hasan al-Mekhlef
Child male killed
Farah Hasan al-Mekhlef
Child female killed
Abeer Hasan al-Mekhlef
Child female killed

The victims were named as:

Abeer Hassan al-Mukhtar
Age unknown injured

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 6
  • (3–5 children1 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 (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The aftermath of airstrikes which struck a residential home in Mushrifah, 28th December 2017. (via Ali)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

The Russian Ministry of Defence announced being active in unspecified parts of Syria until December 11th, 2017.

http://eng.mil.ru/en/news_page/country/more.htm?id=12154621@egNews
http://eng.mil.ru/en/news_page/country/more.htm?id=12154688@egNews
http://eng.mil.ru/en/news_page/country/more.htm?id=12154776@egNews
http://eng.mil.ru/en/news_page/country/more.htm?id=12154751@egNews

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 6
  • (3–5 children1 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 (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS430

Incident date

January 21, 2016

Location

البغيلية, Al Bgailieh, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

35.383522, 40.090313 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between two and six civilians died in an airstrike on Al Bgailieh, according to local sources – though only one source alleged that Russia was responsible.

Step News Agency Tweeted that Russian strikes had hit Al Bgailieh.

According to the Syria News Network, members of Daesh were “killed and wounded following clashes with the Syrian Arab army on the outskirts of al Baghiliya and the north western part of the city“, though they made no mention of civilian casualties.

Baladi News reported that six non-combatants died and others were injured when “warplanes” launched two raids on Al Bgailieh which targeted the “Nour Mosque“, but they did not identify the planes.

The two victims – killed “warplane shelling” – were named by the VDC.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Suraka al-Abbas 
Adult male killed
al-Baraa al-Abbas 
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 6
  • (2 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

No Russian reports were published for January 21st 2016.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 6
  • (2 men)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS654

Incident date

February 22, 2016

Location

حتلا, Hatla, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

35.34169, 40.19897 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between two and six civilians including one or two children and one woman died in an alleged Russian airstrike on Hatla, according to multiple local sources – with some reporting that all six victims were from the same family.

According to Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently, Russian warplanes carried out two raids. LCCSY put the death toll at two including one woman, killed in strikes “believed to be Russian”. Deirezzor and Deir Free said three non-combatants died in a Russian strike, while Al Jazeera said two civilians died in a Russian strike – one of whom was a child. Other sources, including Halab Today, put the death toll higher, at four – including two children – and also attributed the incident to Russia. Zamanmasdar reported that four civilians from the same family died and six others were wounded.

RFS said that “about six” were killed, while Najwa Alqusir and Jisr TV said that a family of six died – both sources blamed Russia.

One victim (a child) was named by the Violations Documentation Centre.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Rami Jameel al Awad
Child male Listed by VDC killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 6
  • (1–2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    6
  • 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 (27) [ 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 from February 17th – February 29th.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 6
  • (1–2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    6
  • 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 (27) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS944

Incident date

June 27, 2016

Location

تلبيسة, Talbisah, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.8420186, 36.711974 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to local sources, up to six civilians died including a child in Talbissa and Ar-Rastan, though sources were conflicted as to whether Russia or the Syrian regime were to blame.

Elbiseh, Syrian Press Center and StepAgency identified on of the victims.

LCCSY attributed the strike to Russia, while the twitter account KkhaledWw pointed to the Syrian regime.

However, according to Arabstoday, five civilians were killed by helicopters “throwing explosive barrels” in Ar-Rastam, while a “bombardment by government forces on areas in the city of Talbisah” led to the death of a child.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mohammed Salim Catamaran
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 6
  • (1 child1 man)
  • 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]

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 June 1st – 31st 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 – 6
  • (1 child1 man)
  • 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]