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

Incident Code

RS483

Incident date

January 27, 2016

Location

الرستن‬, Ar-Rastan, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.93, 36.74 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Seven civilians have been named as victims of an alleged Russian airstrike on Ar-Rastan, January 27th 2016. One woman was reportedly from Jawala – other sources have claimed that the victims were all displaced peoples.

The Shaam News Network reported that Russian warplanes “launched dozens of air raids targeted several areas of the northern countryside of Homs leaving many dead and wounded“. Activists told SNN that the planes targeted the cities of Talbissa and Al Rastan, killing one civilian and injuring a number of others. And the local Rastan media office reported that the strikes “resulted in one unidentified woman being martyred and the wounding of approximately ten, including children and women.” Syrian News Desk later reported than there were up to 40 injured civilians.

Multiple sources claimed that Russian warplanes used barrel bombs on the vicinity causing huge destruction to the infrastructure.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Samer Abdul Bari Harba
38 years old named by Homs Media Centre killed
Fahimah Ibrahim Youssef
50 years old named by Homs Media Centre killed
Amal Ahmed Alsayedali
13 years old female named by Homs Media Centre killed
Mohamed Mahmoud Younis
6 years old male named by Homs Media Centre killed
Alaa Ibrahim Riad
32 years old named by Homs Media Centre killed
Umm Hassan A’armoush
Age unknown named by Homs Media Centre, displaced from Homs killed
Jasem al-Khidr
Age unknown named by VDC killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–40
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]

  • The exact moments the alleged Russian raid hit Ar Rastan on 27th January 2016. (via, Ar Rastan Media Office)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    An injured child awaits medical treatment following an alleged Russian raid in Ar Rastan. (via, Homs Media Centre)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    More injured children following an alleged Russian raid in Ar Rastan. (via, Homs Media Centre)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A deceased man following an alleged Russian raid in Ar Rastan. (via, Homs Media Centre)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

In its military report published on 1st February 2016, the Kremlin said: “In the course of the last week, the Russian aircraft in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 468 combat sorties engaging 1354 terrorists’ infrastructural facilities in the Aleppo, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Damascus, Raqqah, Daraa and Deir ez-Zor provinces. Among them – 24 ones were carried out by Tu-22M3 long-range bombers from the Russian territory…In the Vadi Kaddahat plain (Homs province), after the UAV confirmation of the data received from the Syrian governmental troops concerning a terrorists’ strong point, the object was engaged. Objective monitoring data registered destruction of two automobile vehicles with large-caliber machine guns and elimination of 10 militants.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–40
  • 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

RS1174

Incident date

August 20, 2016

Location

كفر حلب, Kafr Halab, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.062057, 36.871512 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Seven civilians including two women died and up to 25 more were wounded in an airstrike on Kafr Halab, local media reported. The majority of sources blamed Russia, though a number didn’t specify which “warplanes” were responsible.

One source, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, reported that barrel bombs were dropped on the town – a weapon known to be used by the Assad regime, meaning that its involvement can’t be ruled out. Sources also said that cluster bombs had been used in the attack.

Death tolls varied between five and seven civilians. Halab Today – who didn’t identify the culprit – added that 15 more people were injured. However, AMC put the number of injured as high as 25.

According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, “at least seven civilians including two women died in alleged Russian warplanes cluster bombs fired on Kafr Halab”. Other sources blaming Russia included Radio Alkul and Jisrtv.

Halab News – who didn’t specify the party responsible – named civilian fatalities – they also included two unidentified women

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mohammed Jassim Ahalomh
Age unknown named by Halab News killed
Mahmoud Hussein Al-Naas
Age unknown named by Halab News killed
Mohammed Saud Zurayk
Age unknown named by Halab News killed
Waleed Nadeem Almarii
Age unknown named by Halab News killed
Abdulsalam al-Haj Marii
Age unknown named by Halab News killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • (2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–25
  • 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 (26) [ collapse]

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 August 20th – 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
    7
  • (2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–25
  • 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 (26) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1336

Incident date

September 24, 2016

Location

بستان الباشا, Bustan al Bashr, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.226481, 37.168787 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to local reports, between one and seven civilians were killed in airstrikes on the Busta al Basha neighbourhood of Aleppo. While the majority of sources attributed the event to Russia, many didn’t apportion blame.

The Syrian Human Rights Committee (SHRC) said that “explosive drums pounded the neighbourhood” – a weapon used by the regime; moreover, the Shaam News Network reported that both Russia and the regime had carried out strikes in Aleppo and its countryside on this day.

HNN named one of the victims and said six others couldn’t be identified. SHRC also reported seven people dead.

Most other sources claim one person died in the attack and others were wounded such as LCCSY: “One dead and some wounded were reported as Russian warplanes carried out a missile attack on Bustan al Basha neighborhood.”

Syria 2011 also named a second victim.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Jaber Kurdi
Age unknown killed
Abdul Qadir Alorran
Age unknown killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 7
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–5
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Unknown

Sources (19) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • A local makes his way through the rubble - the aftermath of suspected Russian shelling on Bustan al Basha, September 25th (via Step)
  • Rubble and destruction in Bustan al Basha following suspected Russian shelling, September 25th (via Step)
  • Siginifant material destruction in Bustan al Basha following alleged Russian shelling, September 25th (via Step)

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 September 1st – 30th 2016.

Unknown Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 7
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–5
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Unknown

Sources (19) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2975

Incident date

February 4, 2018

Location

معصران, Ma'asaran, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.70683, 36.802053 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to seven civilians, including up to five children and one woman – possibly from the same family – were killed and several were wounded as Russian or Assad-waged airstrikes were launched in the village of Ma’asaran, Idlib, local media reported.

In this incident, local sources reports’ spanned from one to as many as seven fatalities. The lowest reported by Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, reporting the death of one child, while al-Jazeera, Zaman al-Wasl and Daily Sabah reported the death of a family of seven.

Al-Jazeera’s correspondent reported that the family, a mother, a father and five children, were all killed by the incident. The correspondent said that they were killed by “the bombing of an improvised explosive device after a Russian plane had crashed.” Meanwhile, Zaman al-Wasl, who echoed that reporting, on the contrary, said that an Assad-waged barrel bomb was to blame.

Overall, Zaman al-Wasl was the only source attributing blame to the Syrian regime, while the majority pointed to Russain culpability. It was unclear from Al-Jazeera’s reports whether it referred to a ground or aerial-waged explosives.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 7
  • (1–5 children1 woman1 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 (8) [ collapse]

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 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
    1 – 7
  • (1–5 children1 woman1 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 (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS259

Incident date

December 11, 2015

Location

زغير, Zughayr, Deir Ez Zor, Syria

Geolocation

35.503800, 40.015890 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between three and seven non-combatants were killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Zughayr, according to the Shaam News Network and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the civilians died when an oil field was targeted by Russian warplanes. SNN put the death toll higher, at seven.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ahmad al-Wais
Age unknown Named by the VDC killed
Khodr al-Dahham
Age unknown Named by the VDC killed
Ameer al-Smayel
Age unknown Named by the VDC killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 7
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–20
  • 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]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village Zughayr (زغير), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.503800, 40.015890. 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

Russia is not known to have publicly released any information relating to its airstrikes in Syria between December 9th and December 14th 2015.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 7
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–20
  • 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

RS782

Incident date

April 29, 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

Between three and seven civilians including two children died in raids on Bustan al Qasr, according to local sources. All sources but one blamed the regime – though Shaam News Network mentioned Russian and regime warplanes.

In a video issued by Shaam News Network a White Helmet member says that “there were four barrels thrown on Bustan Al-Qaser in the last hour. There are five martyrs and 10 injured somewhere else. And in another place [there are] 10 injured, and in a third one 10 injured, and here there are many injured and they are looking for a missing boy and found him. The White Helmets crew is ready to do their duties.”

In another video, Hadi Al-Abdullah explains that “it is a very difficult place to rescue the injured, because they are open to the regime sniper. There are regime helicopters and warplanes all over the sky.” Hadi’s video also captured barrel throwing on civilians as it happened.

World Akhbar news reports that “six people were killed and others injured on Friday evening due to aerial bombing by the Syrian regime that targeted Bustan Al-Qaser neighborhood, in the city of Aleppo, with explosive barrels. Syrian activists said the shelling caused the complete destruction of “Bustan Al-Qaser medical point” in the center of Aleppo.”

An Al Jazeera reporter, Montaser Abu-Nabut, stated that 7 people were killed and tens were injured including women and children in raids by Syrian and Russian warplanes on Bustan Al-Qaser, Al-Helluk, Bab Al-Neirab, Al-Kallaseh, Al-Tarrab, and A’ziza neighbours.

Rm_hamada tweeted an image of a girl along with the following text: “#Hala is a little girl from Aleppo, crying over her mom’s body after being hit with a barrel [that was] thrown on their flat in Bustan Al-Qaser.”

Alkalimah_online also reported the incident in a tweet, saying that according to Syrian activists “Bustan Al_Qaser medical point was completely destroyed by explosive barrels.” In a report, Abarah Press reported that the death toll had risen to 25 people and dozens were wounded in a “rocket bombardment on Bustan Al-Qaser neighborhood and Kallaseh neighbourhood”.

The White Helmets said that three civilians were killed by regime barrel bombs, while the Syrian Network  also blamed the regime and said of three victims two were children.

According to the Syrian Observatory, all of the strikes in the previous eight days were carried out by the regime. They said that “about 226 civilians including over 50 women and children [were] killed in 8 days of heavy bombardment on Aleppo city“.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 7
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–10
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

  • Video showing the immediate aftermath of the strikes targeting Bustan al-Qasr, where there reportedly are regime helicopters and warplanes in the sky (via Hadi Al-Abdullah Youtube )
  • The aftermath of the contested strikes targeting Bustan al-Qasr, Aleppo (via Baladi News Network)
  • Aerial shelling of Bustan Al-Qasr, Aleppo (via Taha_alhelo tweet)
  • A little girl is crying over the death of her mother who was reportedly killed by barrel bombs (via Rm_hamad tweet)
  • Aftermath of the airstrikes targeting Bustan al-Qasr (via SNN)
  • Aftermath of the airstrikes targeting Bustan al-Qasr (via SNN)
  • Aftermath of the airstrikes targeting Bustan al-Qasr (via SNN)
  • Injured civilian in the aftermath of strikes targeting Aleppo, possibly in Bustan al-Qasr (via AMC)
  • Injured civilian in the aftermath of strikes targeting Aleppo, possibly in Bustan al-Qasr (via AMC)
  • Aftermath of strikes targeting Aleppo, possibly in Bustan al-Qasr (via AMC)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

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
    3 – 7
  • (2 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–10
  • 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

RS3035

Incident date

February 19, 2019

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

Up to seven civilians including one child were killed and several wounded as Mesraba in eastern Ghouta, Damascus was struck by airstrikes and artillery, carried out by either Russia or the Syrian regime, local media reported,

On this day, several parts of eastern Ghouta, including Mesraba, were subject to what was referred to by many as intense aerial bombardment, which Orient News referred to as “genocide”. In Mesraba, Ghouta Media Center reported that residential neighbourhoods and the cemetery were struck, both by aerial and artillery shelling.

The death toll spanned from one to seven, the lowest reported by Arabi12 and the highest by Orient News.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SN4HR) identified two victims by name, a man and a male child. SN4HR mentioned that the adult victim was a doctor. The source added that the the boy child died along with his father. However, the report did not specify whether the child’s father was the already-identified doctor or a third victim.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Adult male doctor killed
Child male from al Qaboun neighborhood killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 7
  • (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 (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • The immediate aftermath of the contested shelling of Mesraba, Damascus, February 19th, 2018 (via Smart News Agency)
  • The civil defence working in the rubble, trying to rescue surviving civilians following the contested shelling of Mesraba, Damascus, February 19th, 2018 (via HalabTodayTV)
  • The aftermath of the contested shelling of Mesraba, Damascus, February 19th, 2018 (via Ghouta Media Center)
  • Ghadi al Takla (middle) was among the fatalities of the contested shelling of Masreba, Damascus, February 19th, 2018 (via SN4HR)
  • The child Mahfouz Fadi Jo’ana was among the fatalities of the contested shelling of Masreba, Damascus, February 19th, 2018 (via SN4HR)

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 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
    1 – 7
  • (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 (14) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS1668

Incident date

November 8, 2017

Location

حريزة, Harizah, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

35.2110563, 40.4731349 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to seven civilians died in an airstrike on the village of Harizah, local media said – though they were unclear whether the Coalition or Russia were to blame. The US-led alliance reported no strikes in Syria that day.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, “six civilians died in a bombing on the village of Harizah, though it was unclear whether the warplane responsible belonged to the Coalition”.

However, Eldorar reported that Russia carried out strikes “targeting the vicinity of the town of Qouriya and the village of Hariza”, killing seven non-combatants.

Euphrates Post said that “a man displaced from al-Sabha town was killed as a result of a military air strike” on the village. A later report blamed the Coalition for the death of four civilians and named them – see below.

Free Deir Ezzor Radio also blamed the Coalition.

In December 2018, the Coalition announced that it had classed the event as non credible due to a lack of available evidence of civilian harm: “Nov. 8, 2017, near Harizah village, Syria, via Airwars report. After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that there is insufficient evidence to find civilians were harmed in this strike.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Farhan al – Sayyah
Age unknown male killed
Uncle of Farhan al – Sayyah
Adult male killed

The victims were named as:

Qadeef al-A’ttallah Abu A’ref
Age unknown killed
An unnamed displaced person from the town of Al Subha
Age unknown killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 7
  • (1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Russian Military

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incidents mention the village of Harizah (حريزة) for which the coordinates are: 35.2110563, 40.4731349

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Non credible / Unsubstantiated
    Insufficient information to assess that, more likely than not, a Coalition strike resulted in civilian casualties.
  • Reason for non-credible assessment
    Insufficient evidence of civilian harm
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Harizah village, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SFU340974
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Dec 30, 2018
  • Nov. 8, 2017, near Harizah village, Syria, via Airwars report. After a review of available information and strike video it was assessed that there is insufficient evidence to find civilians were harmed in this strike.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

For November 8th-9th the Coalition publicly reported no strikes in Syria.

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 7
  • (1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Russian Military

Sources (8) [ collapse]