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

RS814

Incident date

May 28, 2016

Location

مسكنة, Maskanah, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

35.963172, 38.035655 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One unnamed civilian was reported killed and two or more injured in alleged regime (or possibly Russian) airstrikes on Maskaneh.

No additional details are presently known.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • 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]

  • Translation: Regime warplane shelling killed a civilian and wounded others in Maskanah. (via LccSY)

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 May 1st – 31st.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • 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

RS812

Incident date

May 28, 2016

Location

الصاخور, Al Sakhour (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.2179122, 37.1892357 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Multiple local sources reported Russian and Syrian regime raids on various parts of Aleppo, killing up to 17 civilians – including two or more children – and wounding others.

In a news roundup, the Shaam News Network reported that Russian warplanes and helicopters had carried out raids with “vacuum missiles, cluster bombs and barrel bombs” on various locations in Aleppo. It said that this had led to a number of civilians being killed and injured.

Al Jazeera reported that there were as many as 100 raids in various parts of the Aleppo governorate. A report from Shahed Ayan stated that civil defense organistions counted over 700 raid in the region over a 48 hour period, in which 17 people were killed and 78 wounded. A strike in Al Sakhour caused the death of a minimum of three children, it said. Syria HR News said five children were killed in Al Sakhour as well as an elderly woman.

As well as the child civilian casualties in Al Sakhour, there were two named adult victims killed by barrel bombs in the area.

Reports from the twitter account of Shahba alleged the death of two female children and others wounded in regime strikes.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Hassan Janoud Al Haji
55 years old male killed
Aoush Al Hussein
60 years old female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 8
  • (3–5 children1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Translation: Martyrs and wounded some of them critical due to regime shelling in Al Sakhour. (via ZakariaNassani)
  • Photo of the aftermath (via Thiqa agency)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    victim of the airstrike (via Al-Itihad press)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    victim of the airstrike (via Al-Itihad press)
  • Rescue workers at the scene (via Al-Itihad press)
  • Rescue workers at the scene (via Al-Itihad press)
  • Photo of the aftermath (via SOHR)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Father talks about regime shelling to his family in Sakhour. He says regime has killed children. (via Step News)
  • Title: Helicopters threw explosive barrels in various places of Aleppo. (via Hadi Alabdallah)

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 May 1st – 31st.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 8
  • (3–5 children1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • 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

RS810

Incident date

May 27, 2016

Location

كلجبرين‬, Kaljibrin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.5359847, 37.1173525 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A single source, Halab Today TV, reported that one child was killed and two other civilians were injured in an alleged Russian airstrike on Kaljabrin.

At 0’21” in the footage an eyewitness, Ayman Al Hindawi says: “On Thursday May 26th, we woke up to noises of clashes in the village which were taking place between IS and the FSA, which led to IS gaining control of the village completely. The next morning Coalition planes launched a raid on the village which led to the death of more than 50 martyrs, all of them civilians and most of them women and children and men.”

At 1’14” he continues: After IS withdrew from the village, Russian planes also launched a raid which killed one child and injured two others.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Title: Kaljabreen massacre (via Halab Today TV)

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 May 1st – 31st

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS811

Incident date

May 27, 2016

Location

اللطامنة, Ltamenah, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.3219885, 36.6234398 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to LCCSY, “Russian warplanes launched two air rocket cluster bombs on agricultural land in Ltamenah in the northern countryside of Hama.” They said that some farmers had been injured, but provided no further details. Qasioun also blamed Russia.

Syrian PC News and All4Syria News (which blamed ‘regime artillery shelling’) reported that there were two civilians killed in the strikes on the farmland. Husband and wife, Ahmad Khaled Al-Mustafa aged 41 and Nuha Ibrahim Al-Mustafa aged 30 were named as victims. In a separate report also from Syrian PC, an unnamed female child was also reported killed in the warplane shelling.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Ahmad Khaled Al-Mustafa
41 years years old male killed
Nuha Ibrahim Al-Mustafa
30 years years old female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • 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
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (16) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Title: Artillery shelling and missile attack on the village of Latamina in the northern suburb of Hama 28-05-2016 (via Mahmood Al-Hamwi)

Unknown Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Unknown

Russia has not reported any strikes between May 1st – 31st

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (1 child1 woman)
  • 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
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (16) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS809

Incident date

May 27, 2016

Location

حريتان, Hraytan, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.287032, 37.08332 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between nine and 13 civilians including four children were reported killed  – and 20-24 others were wounded – in an alleged Russian airstrike on the Al-Thar’ra bakery in Hraytan, according to local sources.

Among the victims were personnel and customers of the bakery, including four children. The strike also hit several cars that were parked nearby, said Al Araby news.

Shaam News Network initially said that “an aerial bombardment by Russian warplanes” struck the bakery at a time when families were there purchasing their bread. It described it as a “horrific massacre” leaving dozens dead and wounded. Activists told the network that “more than nine civilians were killed, including the furnace workers” as the bakery’s oven was directly targeted. However, there was some confusion in Shaam’s reporting as it later appeared to blame the regime. In a video the reporter says: “We are now in the bakery at Hraitan that was bombed by Assad’s forces. You can see the extent of the damage. Ten martyrs were killed as a result of the bombing. All of them were civilians who had come to get their bread”. The next man speaking says that “Russian planes targeted the city with several missiles, two of them hit the only bakery serving the town. Ten people were killed and more than twenty injured.”

Initial posts by the Syrian Network for Human Rights said this was a regime attack. But in a later report, it went on to allege that Russia was responsible and put the death toll at 11, including a child. Alamawi also reported the death of a young girl (see photo) and a man. Hraitan City also attributed the incident to Russia, publishing footage of the aftermath of the strikes, which included images of remnants of cluster bombs.

According to the White Helmets, 10 people died and many more were wounded after a “warplane” launched a raid on the bakery – though they did not identify the plane. They also published a video of members of their team removing unexploded cluster bombs.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said: “Warplanes bombarded the al-Shahba oven area in Hretan, killing 7 civilians and wounded others in addition to damaging civilian property.”

LCCSY did not say who was responsible but named eight victims.

The Syrian Human Rights Committee put the death toll at 12 at least, listed the same victims, and added the name of Aboud Suleiman. Orient News said 13 were killed.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Muhammad Ahmad Ghazi
Age unknown male From Hraytan killed
Abdullah Alloush
Age unknown male From Hraytan killed
Walid Bash
Age unknown male From Hraytan killed
‪Tareq Haji
Age unknown male From Bianoun killed
Ahmad Haji
Age unknown male From Bianoun killed
Ramez Amay
Age unknown male From Bianoun killed
Firas Muhammad Ali
Age unknown male From Anadan killed
Ayman Muhammad Kayali
Age unknown male From Aleppo city killed
Aboud Suleiman
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    9 – 11
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    20
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (42) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (29) [ collapse]

  • The White Helmets attend the scene of a strike in Hraytan, May 27th (via White Helmets)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    GRAPHIC: Two victims of a deadly strike on a bakery in Hraytan (via the Syrian Human Rights Committee)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    video (via SNN) of the aftermath of the strike
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Video (via Al-Jazeera Arabic) of regime strikes in Hraytan.
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Photo of a victim in an airstrike in Hraytan (via Al-itihad news)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    photo of a victim in the alleged airstrike in Hraytan (via Al-Itihad Press)
  • photo of the bombs in Hraytan (via Al-Itihad Press)
  • photo of the aftermath of strike in Hraytan (via Al-Itihad Press)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    photo of victims in the alleged airstrike in Hraytan (via Al-Itihad Press)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    photo of a victim in the alleged airstrike in Hraytan (via Al-Itihad Press)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    photo of a victim in the alleged airstrike in Hraytan (via Al-Itihad Press)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    photo of a victim in the alleged airstrike in Hraytan (via Al-Itihad Press)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    photo of a victim in the alleged airstrike in Hraytan (via Al-Itihad Press)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    photo of a victim in the alleged airstrike in Hraytan (via Al-Itihad Press)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    photo of a victim in the alleged airstrike in Hraytan (via SHRC)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    photo of a victim in the alleged airstrike in Hraytan (via SHRC)
  • photo of the aftermath of an alleged airstrike in Hraytan (via SN4HR)
  • photo of the aftermath of the alleged airstrike in Hraytan (via Shihab Agency)
  • photo of the aftermath of the alleged airstrike in Hraytan (via Shihab Agency)
  • photo of the aftermath of the alleged airstrike in Hraytan (via Shihab Agency)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    photo of a vcictim of the alleged airstrike in Hraytan (via Al-Amawi )
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    photo of a victim of the alleged airstrike in Hraytan (via Al-Amawi)
  • photo of the aftermath of the alleged airstrike in Hraytan (via Al- Jazeera news)
  • photo of the aftermath of the alleged airstrike in Hraytan (via Syrian News Desk)
  • photo of the aftermath of the alleged airstrike in Hraytan (via orient news)
  • photo of the aftermath of the alleged airstrike in Hraytan (via Nabd news)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Image of a child wounded in government warplanes missiles fired on Hraitan city in Aleppo governorate, May 27. (via SN4HR)
  • Ten people killed and many wounded after warplane launched an air raid targeting the bakery of the town of Hraitan a short while ago. (via Aleppo Civil Defence)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Hraytan (حريتان), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.287032, 37.08332. 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

Russia has not reported any strikes between May 1st – 31st

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    9 – 11
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    20
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (42) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS808

Incident date

May 27, 2016

Location

كفر حمرة, Kafr Hamra, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.255362, 37.087714 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Seven civilians including three children died in airstrikes on Kafr Hamra according to local sources –  though reports were conflicted as to whether this was the work of Russia or the regime.

According to Syrian Newsdesk more than fifteen Russian and regime warplane raids in the Kafr Hamra area resulted in the death of a family of four (the Al Ash family), including a pregnant woman and her foetus and a 7-year-old child. According to the newsdesk, the raids wounded five others, and “some of them are in a critical condition.” The Syrian Network for Human Rights, also blaming Russia, equally put the death toll at four.

The White Helmets didn’t identify the warplanes responsible but said that one woman died and seven other people were wounded, included children, after five strikes in the morning.

Tweets and other social media posts suggested the death toll was even higher.

 

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (4)

Mohammed Al Ash
male killed
Wife of Khadija Al Hussein
Adult female killed
unborn child, Khadija Al Hussein, of 9 months
killed
Son of Hamza Mohammed Al Ash
4 years years old killed

The victims were named as:

Ali Mohammed Harfoush
16 years old killed
Tasnim Shar’rak Al Zeit
Child

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • (3 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (26) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • One of the victims of alleged Russian / regime shelling: 7-year-old child Tasnim Shar’rak Al Zeit (via SN4HR)
  • Footage showing the aftermath of an airstrike on on Kafr Hamra, May 27th.

Unknown Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Unknown

Russia has not reported any strikes between May 1st – 31st

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7
  • (3 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    7–24
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (26) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS807

Incident date

May 27, 2016

Location

أورم الكبرى, Orm al Kubra, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

Between three and six civilians, including an elderly man, two children and three women, died in an alleged Russian strike on the town on Orm al Kubra, according to multiple local sources.

The White Helmets reported five raids in which “warplanes” (they didn’t identify them) threw “parachutes carrying cluster bombs”, which killed “an old man” and three women, as well as injuring two children, “who were transported to Bab al Hawa hospital for treatment.”

However, there were five separate raids in the Aleppo region as part of this offensive according to multiple sources, which has led to some confusion.  For instance, Alaraby News cited an activist, Muhannad-old, who said that an airstrike was conducted by the Syrian regime on a residential building that resulted in the deaths of two children and three more wounded from one family. The majority of other sources however, including Syria News and Nabd Syria News have cited Russian warplanes as the perpetrators.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights also blamed Russia and put the death toll at three civilians including two girls.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 6
  • (2 children3 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 (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • Destruction caused by alleged Russian airstrikes and/or regime shelling in Urma Al Kubra May 27th 2016 (via Nabd Syria News)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Children are treated by members of the White Helmets following raids on Orm al Kubra, May 27th (via White Helmets)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Warplanes throw parachutes carrying cluster bomb on the town of Orm al Kubra - the first seen of this kind - leading to the deaths of 3 women and the injury of a man. The bomb has been removed and the area secured. 27/5/2016
  • aftermath of the strike

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 May 1st – 31st

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 6
  • (2 children3 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 (14) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS806

Incident date

May 24, 2016

Location

Afrin-Darat Azza road, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.3402953, 36.8411064 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to reports by the Shaam News Network and multiple other sources, Russian airstrikes targeted the road between Afrin and Darat Azza destroying fuel transport trucks, and killing two drivers and injuring several other civilians in the vicinity. The reports noted that this road was considered to be a “humanitarian corridor” and “one of the most important lifelines in northern Syria“.

Most sources blamed Russia for the raids, or did not identify the warplanes. Syria Mirror said it was the work of the regime.

At present no names of victims have been confirmed. However photographs of a civilian that was killed were made available by @mazenaloush on Twitter and the Syria Mirror. Syria-news has also reported that ten civilians were wounded in the raids.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

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

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The truck driver was killed in the air strike
  • The road between Afreen and Darat Ezza, photo courtesy of Zaman Masdar news.
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The truck driver who was killed in the air strike
  • An oil truck on fire

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 May 1st – 31st

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

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