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
4805 Results
sort by:
Sort by:
Incident date
Civilian deaths alleged
Civilian deaths confirmed by belligerent

Incident Code

RS2028

Incident date

March 25, 2017

Location

معر شورين, Ma'ar Shureen, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.6675976, 36.7290564 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between two and four civilians were wounded in an alleged Russian or Assad regime airstrike on village of Ma’ar Shureen in Idlib, local media reported.

According to the Smart News Agency, four civilian were wounded. Other sources put the figure at two.

Zamanalwasl said that the strike hit a popular market in the village.

While several sources did not identify the culprit, most sources attributed blame to Russia. However, al-Jazeera indicated that both Russia and the Syrian regime were responsible.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–4
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Footage from Ma'ar Shureen, Idlib, after being struck by either Russian or Assad-waged airstrikes on March 25th, 2017 (via Qasioun News)
  • Footage from the moment Ma'ar Shureen, Idlib was struck either Russian or Assad-waged airstrikes on March 25th, 2017 (via Omawi News Agency)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

Russia has not reported any strikes between March 1st - 31st 2017.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–4
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2398

Incident date

August 21, 2017

Location

ميادين, Mayadeen, Deir Ezzor, Syria

Geolocation

35.016667, 40.444167 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The Smart News Agency reported that “five civilians were killed and dozens were wounded” in an airstrike on Al Mayadin on August 21st.

The source didn’t identify who carried out the strike but noted that “activists launched a campaign of solidarity with them [the victims]. They condemned the daily bombardment of the International Coalition aircraft, Russia and the regime, which resulted in the killing and wounding of dozens of civilians”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attacker
    Unknown

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Unknown Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attacker
    Unknown

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3667

Incident date

May 6, 2019

Location

كفرسجنة, Kafar Sijna, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

A single source claimed that civilians, including children, were wounded when an alleged Russian airstrike struck the town of Kafr Sijana in southern Idlib on May 6th, 2019.

No other details are known at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3300

Incident date

March 18, 2018

Location

عربين, Arbin, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.538143, 36.364331 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One or two civilians, including reportedly a child, were killed in airstrikes on the city of Arbin, Damascus governorate, on March 18th 2018, as reported by the Syrian Network for Human Rights.

@SYR_REV_NEWS reported that shelling with rocket launchers on residential areas of the city killed one civilian and that dozens of civilians were wounded. It remains contested whether Russia or the Syrian regime was responsible for the strike.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights put the death toll at two, including one child.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–24
  • 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 (4) [ 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

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–24
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3339

Incident date

March 26, 2018

Location

التمانعة, Al Taman'a, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.457626, 36.750314 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Civilians were possibly injured in alleged Russian airstrikes or Syrian regime artillery strikes on the town of Al Taman’a, Idlib governorate, on March 26th, 2018, according to Shaam News Network.

@Wateen_media reported that “Russian occupation aviation targets the vicinity of the town of Al Taman’a with several airstrikes with vacuum missiles.”

@RFS_mediaoffice, however, reported Syrian regime artillery strikes: “Syrian regime forces stationed in Tal Marq village targeted Al Taman’a town, southern Idlib countryside, with artillery shells.”

According to @Step_Agency, warplanes targeted the bridges of Al Shughour and Al Taman’a, but no civilian casualties were reported.

Shaam News Network, however, reported the following: “Russian aircraft launched fierce air raids on the cities and towns of Ariha, Al Taman’a, Harsh Abidin, Al Naqir, Harsh Al Habit in the southern countryside, and Jisir Al Shugur, Al Safyat and Zarzour in the western countryside, which led to the fall of a number of wounded civilians.”

As it is unclear in which specific incidents civilians were harmed according to the Shaam report, and other sources do not mention civilian casualties for this incident, Airwars has graded the civilian harm status for this incident as “weak”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (4) [ 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

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3538

Incident date

September 4, 2018

Location

الجانودية, al Janoudiya, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

Two civilians were reported killed and two others injured in alleged Russian forces or Syrian regime airstrikes on Al-Janoudiya in Idlib, on September 4th, 2018.

@almo3tasem91 tweeted “Two martyrs and a number of wounded civilians in the village of Al-Janoudiya as a result of being targeted by several air strikes by Russian warplanes.”

Local sources also said the attack led to severe damage in civilians’ properties as a result of the airstrikes.

Syria TV said “As for the town of Al-Janoudiya in the northern countryside of Jisr Al-Shughour, two people were injured and civilian property was badly damaged after being targeted by six air strikes by Russian warplanes.”

@SyriaCivilDefe said that the area was hit with six air strikes by Russian aircraft “which resulted in the injury of two people, and damage to public property.”

Russian forces and the Syrian regime were both blamed for the attack. While a pro-regime one said that Syrian Air Force targeted what they described as terrorists spots in Al Janoudiya with two raids, Sputnik  reported from a Russian military source that they conducted airstrikes on areas in Idlib on the same day.

@now_damascus tweeted “The Syrian Air Force has targeted locations of terrorist groups in the town of Al-Janoudiya in the countryside of Jisr Al-Shughour, with two air strikes, in conjunction with missile strikes targeting the same location.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • 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 attacker
    Russian Military
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda/HTS

Sources (15) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • The moment raids hit al Janoudiya, 4th Sept 2018. (via Sputnik)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • 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 attacker
    Russian Military
  • Suspected target
    Al Qaeda/HTS

Sources (15) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3563

Incident date

October 3, 2018

Location

تل باجر, Tal Bajir, Aleppo , Aleppo , Syria

Geolocation

36.239415, 37.594765 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two boys were injured when an unexploded cluster bomb of a previous alleged Russian air raid exploded in the village of Tal Bajir, Aleppo governorate, on October 3rd, 2018, according to local sources. The bomb was reportedly fired a year before it exploded.

@neoIRT wrote that “two children were injured when a cluster bomb exploded from the remnants of the Russian bombing on Tal Bajir village in the southern countryside of Aleppo.” @Zitan_media reported that the victims were 12-year-old Ahmed Al Ahmad and 14-year-old Mahmoud Al Ahmad from the village of Bans.

Ibrahim Abu Leith, a Syrian Civil Defence spokesperson for the region, told Smart News Agency that the shell was a remnant of Russian airstrikes a year earlier. The boys were reportedly letting the sheep graze when they encountered the explosive.

According to Abu Leith, one of the children was seriously injured, whereas the other’s condition was stabilised. The Syrian Civil Defence has been trying to mark areas with remnants of bombings so that they can be removed.

All sources pointed to Russian forces as responsible for the unexploded ordnance.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Ahmed Al Ahmad أحمد الأحمد
12 years old male from Bans village injured
Mahmoud Al Ahmad محمود الأحمد
14 years old male from Bans village injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • A wounded child receiving medical help after he encountered remants of a cluster bomb in Tal Bajir, 3rd October 2018 (via Civil Defence Aleppo).
  • Syrian Civil Defence volunteer looking after a wounded child who encountered remants of a cluster bomb in Tal Bajir, 3rd October 2018 (via Civil Defence Aleppo).
  • Man giving a wounded child a kiss after the child encountered remants of a cluster bomb in Tal Bajir, 3rd October 2018 (via Civil Defence Aleppo).

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3875

Incident date

July 7, 2019

Location

خان شيخون, Khan Sheikhoun, Idlib , Syria

Airwars assessment

Two to eight civilians were reported wounded in an airstrike on Khan Sheikoun, Idlib, on July 7th.

Khansheikoun Lens reported that “four men, three women and one girl were injured in four air strikes by Russian warplanes targeting the residential neighborhoods of Khan Sheikhoun.”

Smart News initially reported that two were wounded in the strike, while the same source cited “eight wounded from one family” as understanding of the events unfolded.

All sources attributed the attack to Russian forces.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Anas Abdul Qadir Al-Zein انس عبدالقادر الزين
Adult male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–8
  • 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 (19) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–8
  • 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 (19) [ collapse]