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

RS1252

Incident date

September 10, 2016

Location

حي الصالحين, Salheen (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1807701, 37.167263 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to seven civilians died and as many as 22 more were wounded in an airstrike on Salheen, according to local media – though sources were conflicted as to whether this was the work or Russia or the Syrian regime.

Baladi, Halab Today and LCCSY blamed Russia. The lowest death toll – of one – was given by LCCSY; however, most sources said that seven non-combatants had died.

But the Syrian Network for Human Rights (who put the death count at three), the Syrian Press center and Syria News Desk blamed the Syrian regime for the strike.

According to Syria News Desk, the raids “led to the death of 5 civilians and the injury of 22 others as well as the destruction of 3 residential buildings and other material damage.”

Multiple sources published images depicting significant destruction, along with efforts by the White Helmets to remove bodies from the rubble.

Abdalghfurdyab tweeted a parent’s testimony: “My daughter Fatima is here, she’s here under the rubble. This is the most painful thing to watch when you can’t rescue your children.”

A number of sources didn’t identify the “warplanes” responsible for the incident.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 7
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–22
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Photographs of wounded adult and child civilians in Salheen following suspected Russian warplane attacks (Tweet via @sambo1982ksa)
  • Footage of the destruction in Salheen following suspected Russian aerial bombardment (via Buraq)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Civilians pulled from the rubble in Salheen, the human cost of alleged Russian warplane shelling (Youtube via Aljazeera)
  • Local people help victims of alleged Russian warplane shelling in Salheen (Tweet via @Atfalsham)
  • A child civilian is held in a mans arms in Salheen as local people respond to the aftermath of suspected Russian warplane shelling (Tweet via @Atfalsham)
  • A dusty street in Salheen, the material impact of suspected Russian shelling (Tweet via @Atfalsham)
  • The White Helmets provide assistance in Salheen after alleged Russian warplanes attacked (Tweet via @thiqanewsagency)
  • Local people stand amongst the rubble and demolished buildings in Salheen (Tweet via @SN4HR)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The White Helmets use a digger to move rubble and find a child victim underneath - distressing footage (Youtube via The White Helmets)
  • A wounded child in Salheen. The source alleged Regime warplanes responsible. (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 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 – 7
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–22
  • 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

RS1691

Incident date

November 25, 2016

Location

حطلة, Hatla, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

Between four and seven civilians were killed and up to seven others were wounded, including women and children, in alleged Russian airstrikes against Hatla village in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights stated that at the time of reporting, many civilians were in critical condition and the death toll was expected to rise from the four killed that was at that time reported.

According to the correspondent from D24 News, Russian planes “directly targeted the houses of civilians in the town, killing six civilians, three of them unidentified and wounding several others.” Other sources, including Step News Agency and Euphrate Pos, corroborated that report and and also attributed the airstrikes to Russian planes.

The Furat Post noted that extensive destruction of residential buildings resulted from the airstrikes. Images posted by the Euphrates Pos show the structural damage and collapse of the homes.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ammar Hamid al Gharib
30 years old killed
Child of Abdel Aziz Hamid Al-Gharb
8 years old killed
Hassan Tawfiq
Age unknown killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 7
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–7
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (9) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of a strike on a civilian home in Hatla, Nov 25th (via Euphrates Post)
  • The aftermath of a strike on a civilian home in Hatla, Nov 25th (via Euphrates Post)
  • The aftermath of a strike on a civilian home in Hatla, Nov 25th (via Euphrates Post)
  • The aftermath of a strike on a civilian home in Hatla, Nov 25th (via Euphrates Post)
  • The aftermath of a strike on a civilian home in Hatla, Nov 25th (via Euphrates Post)
  • The aftermath of a strike on a civilian home in Hatla, Nov 25th (via Euphrates Post)
  • Smoke bellows over Hata following an airstrike, Nov 25th (via Euphrates Post)
  • The aftermath of a strike on a civilian home in Hatla, Nov 25th (via Euphrates Post)
  • The aftermath of a strike on a civilian home in Hatla, Nov 25th (via Euphrates Post)

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.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 7
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–7
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3173

Incident date

March 5, 2018

Location

زملكا, Zamalka, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.5261, 36.35385 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between three and seven civilians were killed, and an unspecified number of others were wounded, in airstrikes on Zamalka, local media reported. Sources blamed both Russia and the Syrian regime for the raids.

The raids reportedly stuck a residential neighbourhood. The highest death count was give as seven by @ManFreeman7.

Syria Noor: “The death toll of the massacres of the regime and Russia in the eastern Gauta yesterday [March 4th] amounted to more than 100 civilians, as a result of the bombardment of hundreds of air raids, rockets and artillery shells.”

The Violations Documentation Centre blamed “Syrian government and affiliated militias” for the civilian harm.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Nour al-Dien al-Nadaf
Adult male killed
Yeheya Shamo
Adult male killed
Tariq Hamdo
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 7
  • (2 men)
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • An injured child in an ambulance in the aftermath of airstrikes in Zamalka, 5th March 2018. (via @SyriaCivilDefe)

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
    3 – 7
  • (2 men)
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1873

Incident date

January 30, 2017

Location

الأول ريف المهندسينكفرجوم, Kafr Joum, Al Muhandissin Al wwal countryside, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.11127, 36.95655 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A mother and her six children were killed in an alleged Russian or Assad regime airstrike “massacre” in the countryside of western Aleppo, according to sources on the ground.

The noon raid struck three houses in the region controlled by opposition forces. It is currently home to displaced residents from the southern area of the city. The Center for Civil Defense said it was a breach of an agreed cease fire between the sides.

However, the Syrian Network for Human Rights claimed Syrian regime warplanes were in fact responsible.The wounded included children ranging in age from one to nine years one, according to the Syrian News Desk. Some were transferred to a hospital on the Turkish border for treatment.

Teams including the White Helmets worked for nearly five hours to remove the bodies from the rubble, a civil defense official said.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 7
  • (6 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • 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 (22) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (10) [ collapse]

  • Translation: 'The shelling of the village of Kafarjoum today 30-1-2017'
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on Kafr Joum, Al Muhandissin Al wwal countryside, (via Shehab)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    One of six children reportedly killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Kafr Joum, Al Muhandissin Al wwal countryside, (via Shehab)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Translation: ': Martyrdom of a mother and her six children in the bombing of the Russian occupation aircraft on the rural countryside of the countryside # Aleppo West'
  • 'e raids targeting Kafr Joum Today 30/1/2017'
  • Translation: 'Russian warplanes targeted al Muhanidssin al Awwal countryside KafrJoum in western Aleppo countryside with three raids leading to the martyrdom of 7 people - a woman and 6 children in addition to the injury of one child and widespread destruction in the area.' (via White Helmets)
  • Translation: 'Russian warplanes targeted al Muhanidssin al Awwal countryside KafrJoum in western Aleppo countryside with three raids leading to the martyrdom of 7 people - a woman and 6 children in addition to the injury of one child and widespread destruction in the area.' (via White Helmets)

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 – 7
  • (6 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • 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 (22) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1909

Incident date

February 19, 2017

Location

نصيب , Nasib, eastern Daraa, Syria

Geolocation

32.550502, 36.187213 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to seven civilians – of whom four were named – died and as many as eight others were wounded in an air or artillery strike on Nasib, according to local media. While most sources blamed Russia, there were also several allegations against the Assad regime.

According to Ara, “Russian warplanes targeted the vicinity of the hospital with several air raids using high-explosive space rockets. This destroyed the hospital building and was followed by artillery shelling targeting the the building directly. The hospital was completely put out of service”.

LCCSY put the death toll at four, including a woman, a young man and two children – and blamed Russian raids for the civilian harm.

However, according to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, Syrian warplanes were responsible for the event.

A number of other sources blamed both Russia and the regime. For example, the Smart News Agency referenced “artillery shelling by regime forces and air raids likely conducted by Russian warplanes, focusing on the perimeter of the hospital, killing four civilians and wounding eight others”.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights gave the highest death count (of seven, including three women), but didn’t name the culprit.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (4)

Bayan Mohammad al-Rifaei
Child female killed
Sibal Qasem al-Rifaei
Child female killed
Qasem Mohammad al-Rifaei
Adult male An Arabic teacher killed
Fawzia Abo Atouk
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    Healthcare facility
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 7
  • (2 children1–3 women1 man)
  • 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 (18) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Footage by the White Helmets showing the shelling of Nasib, Feb 19th.
  • A tweet on the death of Qasem Mohammed Rifa’i, 'Arabic teacher for thousands of students in Houran'.

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 infrastructure
    Healthcare facility
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 7
  • (2 children1–3 women1 man)
  • 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 (18) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS294

Incident date

December 20, 2015

Location

دوما, Douma, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.5309126, 36.4174247 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least six civilians including one woman and two children from the same family were killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on the food stores of A’dala, a relief organisation in Al Ghouta, according to reports. Significant food stores were targeted and destroyed and around 70 sheep slain.

 

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Meriam Shihab
Adult female the wife of a guard of the relief organisation killed
Kamleh Shehab
Child female daughter of Meriam Shihab killed
Shaima’a Shihab
Child female daughter of Meriam Shihab killed
Mr. Fahd Ashalet “Abu-Ma’arouf
Adult male a livestock official killed
Fauza al Mohammad
Age unknown from Ashaary village killed
Mohammad
Adult male killed

Summary

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

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Shaima’a Shihab (left), killed in alleged Russian airstrike on warehouses of A’dala relief organisation, Al Ghouta, December 20th. (via SNN)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A deceased child (Shaima Shihab) following an alleged Russian airstrike. (via, Douma Coordination Committee, Syrian Revolution in Damascus)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

For December 18th-23rd, Russia reported that “In the course of five days, on December 18-23, aircraft of the Aerospace Forces in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 302 combat sorties engaging 1093 objects in the Aleppo, Idlib, Latakia, Homs and Deir ez-Zor provinces.” No mention was made of strikes in the vicinity of Damascus.

Summary

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

Incident Code

RS422

Incident date

January 20, 2016

Location

الحسينية, Hussainiya, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

35.35905, 40.15113 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between four and seven civilians including one to two children were killed and dozens more injured in alleged Russian strikes on the village of Hussainiya, according to multiple sources.

Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently reported that four non-combatants died when Russian aviation struck the village with cluster bombs. They said that the warplanes targeted “the house of Talal Al Ghazim and the surroundings area killing the daughter of Talal as well as Ahmad and Ayham Al Shaher and his daughter and there are more than ten seriously wounded.”

Activist told the Shaam News Network that “Russian aviation targeted dozens of villages surrounding the city of Deir al-Zour in response to the advance of IS in the area of Brigade 137 and the military airport front.“

They said that the targeting of Talal Al Ghazim’s home resulted in the death of five people, including two children and the injury of ten others, “with wounds ranging from average to critical.“

The White Helmets said that seven died when “warplanes” targeted the village, but they did not say who the planes belonged to.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the number killed by suspected Russian warplanes in Deir Ezzor Rose to 13, of which four (two of them children) died in the bombing of Hussainiya.

SMO reported that activist had informed them that Russia had carried out seven strikes with “cluster missiles” on the village, leading to five deaths with dozens more wounded, including women and children.

ANA Press also mentioned Russian strikes on the location, while LCCSY documented four deaths from the same family: “Ahamd al-Shaher, little girl Alma al-Shaher, and Ayham al-Shaher” as the result of an alleged Russian raid.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (4)

Ayham Dahham al-Shaher 
Adult male killed
Ahmad al-Shaher
Adult male killed
Manhal al-Shaher 
Adult male killed
Alma Ayham al-Shaher
Child female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 7
  • (1–2 children3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–24
  • 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 (15) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • 'The child Alma Ayham Al Shaher and her father who were killed by the treacherous Russian planes.' (via Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently)
  • Ayham Dahham al-Shaher, killed by alleged Russian raids on 20th January 2016. (via, DC)
  • Alma Ayham al-Shaher, killed by alleged Russian raids on 20th January 2016. (via, DC)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

In its report for military actions on January 20 2016, the Kremlin reports carrying out strikes in Deir ez-Zor governorate: “In the course of the last day, aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 16 combat sorties engaging 57 objects of terrorists’ infrastructure.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 7
  • (1–2 children3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–24
  • 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 (15) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS839

Incident date

June 3, 2016

Location

حي الصالحين, Salheen (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.1807701, 37.167263 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to seven civilians died in an air or artillery strike on Salheen, according to local reports – though sources were conflicted as to whether Russia or the Syrian regime were to blame.

The Shaam News Network reported on alleged Russian raids with warplanes and helicopters across Aleppo and its surrounding countryside. It said that this coincided with “violent artillery shelling“, killing seven civilians in the Salheen neighborhood.

According to Syrian pc, “regime helicopters threw two explosive barrels on AL-Salheen which caused death of one civilian and injured two more.”

Rozana -fm reported that “Russian and Syrian warplanes launched many raids on various neighbours today including Alsalheen, Al-castello, Bei’deen Bustan Al-Qasir, Al-Ansari, Bab Al-neyrab, Tariq Al-Bab, Masakin Hananon which caused the death of 32 civilians and wounded tens more.”

Aawsat blamed Russian and regime warplanes for killing seven non-combatants.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

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

  • A civilian girl pulled from the rubble by The White Helmets following alleged Russian warplane strikes on Salheen, Aleppo (Youtube by AMC)
  • Civilian girl is pulled from rubble by White Helmets in Salheen. Twitter account susupened, screengrab accessed via Airwars archive.

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 – 7
  • 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]