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

RS1731

Incident date

December 3, 2016

Location

حي الشعار , Al Shia’ar neighbourhood, Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.2085139, 37.1855771 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between three and eight civilians died and a dozen or more were wounded in alleged Russian or regime airstrikes on Aleppo’s Al Shia’ar neighbourhood, local media reported.

According to Arab24, “the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that three people were killed and about 12 others were injured on Saturday [Dec 3rd] by the bombing of warplanes on areas in the Al-Sha’ar neighborhood in the middle section of eastern Aleppo.”

SyriaMubasher put the death toll at eight with 15 more injured, stating that the strike targeted a gathering of displaced people.

Alaraby, Halab News Shahba Press and Syria News Desk all blamed Russia.

However, other sources including Qasioun and Ummaya Press, attributed the deaths to the regime.

Most sources put the death toll at six.

Syrianorg said that both the regime and Russia were responsible.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 8
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–15
  • 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]

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 specific strikes between December 1st – 31st 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.”

Additionally, Russia reported that its air forces have carried out strikes in Aleppo during November and December 2016.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 8
  • Civilians reported injured
    12–15
  • 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

RS3934

Incident date

July 22, 2019

Location

سراقب, Saraqib, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

Nine civilians, including four children, were killed in alleged Russian or Syrian airstrikes that struck a local market and school in Saraqib in the afternoon of July 22nd, as reported by local sources. Up to 16 others were injured.

According to @ShahbaPress, four civilians including a woman were killed and 16 were wounded, while Step News Agency put the death toll higher and reported on seven civilian deaths, including four children.

@Sy24ria tweeted: “Six civilians were killed by Russian airstrikes, targeting the popular market in the city of Saraqib in the eastern Idlib countryside.”

Baladi News blamed the Syrian regime forces for what it described as “a massacre”. The source reported that a vegetable market was hit in the town of Saraqib, killing eight civilians and wounding more than ten, including critical cases.

The Syrian Civil Defence, who was at the scene, reported that military aircraft struck the popular market with four high-explosive rockets, killing, among others, four children and wounding five others.

Horrya News reported nine deaths. Several sources also reported the names of nine killed civilians, among which three children.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that a total of 15 civilians were wounded.

Among the victims were Hussam Al Zouri and the children Muhammad Husam Al Zouri and Aya Samir al Zouri. According to @bodler15, the child Aya was killed alongside her brother, presumably Muhammad. The source added that the child’s parents were killed in a previous airstrike.

Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that “Syrian regime warplanes fired missiles on Najdat al Khaled High School for Girls in Saraqeb city in Idlib governorate eastern suburbs, damaging its building severely, on July 22nd.”

Zaiton Mag reported “massive destruction to residential neighbourhoods and shops”.

Sources blamed both Russia or the Syrian regime for the strike.

The incident occured in the afternoon.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Child female daughter of Hussam Al Zouri killed

The victims were named as:

Adult male killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    9
  • (4 children1 woman4 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–24
  • 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
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (39) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (20) [ collapse]

  • An Alleged Syrian regime strikes truck residential neighborhoods in Saraqib on July 22nd (via Shaam).
  • An Alleged Syrian regime strikes truck residential neighborhoods in Saraqib on July 22nd (via Shaam).
  • An alleged Syrian regime strikes truck residential neighborhoods in Saraqib on July 22nd (via Shaam).
  • Alleged Syrian regime missiles struck the local market in Saraqib on July 22nd (via Syrian Observatory for Human Rights).
  • Image Caption: "Syrian regime fixed-wing warplanes fired missiles on Najdat al Khaled High School for Girls in Saraqeb city in Idlib governorate eastern suburbs, damaging its building severely, on July 22nd" (via Syrian Network for Human Rights)
  • Translation: “The Saraqib massacre 7/22/2019” (via Syrian Revolution).
  • Translation: “Six civilians were killed by Russian air strikes, targeting the popular market in the city of Saraqib in the eastern Idlib countryside” (via @Sy24ria).
  • Civilians looking at the damage after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on Saraqib, July 22nd, 2019 (via @Sy24ria).
  • Civilians looking at the damage after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on Saraqib, July 22nd, 2019 (via @Sy24ria).
  • Syrian Civil Defence volunteers at the site after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on Saraqib, July 22nd, 2019 (via @Sy24ria).
  • Syrian Civil Defence volunteers carrying an injured civilian after alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on Saraqib, July 22nd, 2019 (via @Sy24ria).
  • Translation: “The Russian warplanes attacked civilian homes in the city of Saraqib in Idlib countryside” (via @muslim2day).
  • Translation: “Watch: Assad regime airplanes commit a massacre in the city of Saraqib, east of Idlib” (via @NeSyria).
  • Ali Al Ali was killed in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on Saraqib, July 22nd, 2019 (via @IdlibPlus).
  • Translation: “Six civilian martyrs rose and nine others were injured as a result of the warplanes targeting the city of Saraqib in the eastern Idlib countryside” (via @HadiAlabdallah).
  • Aftermath of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on Saraqib, July 22nd, 2019 (via @HadiAlabdallah).
  • Translation: “Seven dead in the Syrian regime's bombing of the city of Saraqib in Idlib countryside” (via Al Jazeera Mubasher).
  • The child Muhammad Husam Al Zouri was killed in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on Saraqib on July 22nd, 2019 (via Faqed Al Ghawali).
  • Hussam Al Zouri was killed in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on Saraqib on July 22nd, 2019 (via Faqed Al Ghawali).
  • Mahmoud Nasr Ajaj was killed in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on Saraqib on July 22nd, 2019 (via Ammar Imara).

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    School
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    9
  • (4 children1 woman4 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    5–24
  • 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
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (39) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1155

Incident date

August 16, 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

Between six and eight civilians died and 16 more were wounded in an alleged Russian airstrike on the al Sakhour neighbourhood of Aleppo, according to sources on the ground.

The Step News Agency said that the strike occurred “near a footbridge”.

Shahed-aya, Step, Sama, Syrian-reporters and @syrianArwad all put the death toll at six – though LCCSY was among several sources reporting the death of seven people.

According to Ara, “Russian warplanes committed a massacre in the second Al Sakhour neighborhood of Aleppo. A large number of spatial missiles led to the fall of eight civilians and a large number of wounded – many in a serious condition. A number of houses were burnt in the fall of phosphorous bombs on the neighborhood”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6 – 8
  • Civilians reported injured
    16
  • 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]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

On August 16th 2016, the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation reported that,"Tu-22M3 long-range bombers and Su-34 tactical bombers took off from the “Hamedan” airbase (the Islamic Republic of Iran) and carried out a concentrated airstrike on objects of the ISIS and Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist groupings in the provinces of Aleppo, Deir ez-Zor and Idlib. As a result, the strikes have eliminated 5 large ammunition depots with armament, munitions and fuel, training camps of militants near Serakab, Al-Ghab, Aleppo and Deir ez-Zor cities, 3 control centres of militants near the cities Jafra and Deir ez-Zor as well as a significant number of militants. Ammunition depots, training camps and control centres destroyed by the bombing had been used for support of militant groupings near Aleppo."

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    6 – 8
  • Civilians reported injured
    16
  • 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]

Incident Code

RS046

Incident date

October 15, 2015

Location

الدار الكبيره, Dar Al Kabira, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.7857347, 36.6818047 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between three and eight civilians were reported killed in an an alleged Russian airstrike on the small town of Dar Al Kabira in Homs.

According to Smart News the event was instead a ‘friendly fire’ incident, with Russian missiles hitting a military academy.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 8
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Dar Al Kabira, for which the generic coordinates are: 34.7857347, 36.6818047. 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 made no reference to strikes in Homs for October 15th-16th 2015, despite its aircraft clearly having been filmed in action in the governorate.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 8
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3162

Incident date

March 4, 2018

Location

حمورية, Hamouriya, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.528464, 36.389472 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to eight civilians killed and as many as 32 others were wounded in airstrikes on Hamouriya, local media reported. Sources blamed both Russia and the Syrian regime for the raids.

The Violations Documentation Centre reported that seven unidentified civilians were killed.

There were as many as four raids. There was an intensive “aerial bombardment with rockets and explosive barrels”, @SyriaCivilDefe reported.

One source reported that “Helicopter Aviation renews its target with the explosive barrel of Hamuriya town in the eastern Ghouta”.

According to @SyriaCivilDefe, “The Civil Defence team dispersed a fire in one of the houses of civilians in the town of Hmouriya in al-Ghouta”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 8
  • Civilians reported injured
    32
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Members of the Syrian Civil Defence put a fire out in someones home, Hamouriya, 4th 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 type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 8
  • Civilians reported injured
    32
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1231

Incident date

September 6, 2016

Location

معردبسي, Meir Debsie, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.779211, 36.770897 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Eight civilians including three children died and up to 20 others were wounded in shelling of Maer Debsie. Most sources attributed the event to the Syrian regime, though one blamed Russia.

According to Zaman Alwasl, six died when the regime shelled “civilians’ residential houses from the side of motorway”.

Enab Baladi, also blaming the regime, put the death toll at eight with 22 more wounded – most of them reportedly in a critical condition.

However, one source, LCCSY, alleged Russia was responsible. It put the death toll at six with 10 wounded.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Mohammed Ahmad Haj Yehya
Age unknown male killed
Abdul-Rahim Haj Yehya
Age unknown male killed
Nawaf Ahmad Haj Yehya
Age unknown killed

Family members (3)

Ali Mohammed Isma’il
Child male killed
Rawda Mohammed Isma’il
Child killed
Aysha Mohammed Isma’i
Child killed

The victims were named as:

Ali Matar Jum’a
Age unknown male killed
Mohammed Hussein Sheikh Saleh
Age unknown male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8
  • (3 children4 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–20
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (15) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • A civilian is rescued following a strike on Maer Debseh, Sept 6th (via Jisrtv)
  • The White Helmets search for civilians in Maer Debseh, following suspected Regime or Russian attacks (via Enab Baladi)
  • The source alleged Regime warplanes commited the massacre in Maer Debseh - footage reveals significant material destruction (Youtube via EMC)

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.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8
  • (3 children4 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10–20
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (15) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS283

Incident date

December 16, 2015

Location

الباب, Al-Bab, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.371972, 37.51631 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Eight people were reported killed and 40 wounded in three alleged Russian night time airstrikes on Al Bab according to multiple sources. Though the ISIL-lnked news agency Al A’maq claimed the deaths were “as a result of the Russian strikes” VDC blamed the fatalities on “the regime air forces’ shelling with explosive barrels on a popular market.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Adult male killed
25 years old male killed
Adult female killed
Wife of Redwan al-Bzaighi’s
Age unknown female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8
  • (1 child2 women6 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    40
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Abd al-Hamid Abo Kasheh, killed in Al Bab by alleged Russian and Syrian Regime raids. (via, VDC)
  • Yehya Kazkaz, killed in a contested airstrike. (via, VDC)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention a market in the city of Al Bab (الباب).Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Al Bab are: 371972, 37.51631.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8
  • (1 child2 women6 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    40
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.

Incident Code

RS443

Incident date

January 22, 2016

Location

سرمدا, Sarmada, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

36.18553, 36.72231 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to eight civilians including one child were killed and 12 others injured in an alleged Russian airstrike on Sarmada, according to local sources.

The Syrian Observatory for Human rights said that eight people (including a child and three people from the Palmyra area, a commander of a checkpoint belonging to a rebel faction and other fighters) were killed in raids by “warplanes believed to be Russian” on areas in the outskirts of the town of Sarmada near the Syrian-Turkish border and “the area of a checkpoint for the Islamic factions near Bab al-Hawa border crossing.

Reporting on the aerial bombardment on both Bab al Hawa and Sarmada, the Observatory added that the number killed had risen to 28, including four children and a woman, in addition  to “an Uzbek family and 22 rebels“.

The Shaam News Network published a graphic video showing the aftermath of strikes. The voice over in the footage says they were carried out by the regime, though the title of the video says they were Russian raids.

Another graphic video, by the White Helmets, showed members of their team being targeted by strikes by “warplanes” – though they did not identify them.

At 1:06 in footage published by Orient News, a civil defence volunteer says: “only two minutes after the raids hit the civilian areas of Sarmada, our vehicles were hit when we arrived at the scene. We now have around 10 dead.”

Arabi21 said that four Russian strikes killed a family of seven and injured 12 others.

 

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Adult male killed
Adult male killed
Adult male listed under Maddiq Castle where he comes from but it says he was killed in Sarmada. killed
Haj Mahmoud Mohammed Sheik
Adult male named by Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies killed
Unidentified
Age unknown named by Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies killed
Unidentified
Age unknown named by Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies killed
Unidentified
Age unknown named by Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies killed
Unidentified
Age unknown named by Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 8
  • (1 child4 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Extremely graphic footage of the immediate aftermath of the incident in Sarmada. An injured man can be seen with half his face missing. (via, Media Civil Defence)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Ali Khaled al-Sultan, killed in an alleged Russian raid on Sarmada. (via, VDC)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    White Helmets checking the rubble for injured or deceased civilians. (via, SNN)

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 25th January, the Kremlin said: “In the course of the last three days, January 22-24, aircraft of the Russian aviation group in the Syrian Arab Republic performed 169 combat sorties engaging 484 objects of terrorists’ infrastructure…crews of Tu-22M3 long-range bombers performed 18 combat sorties from the territory of the Russian Federation in order to engage manpower and hardware of the ISIS near Deir ez-Zor on January 22-24. Flight range reached more than 2,000 kilometers.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4 – 8
  • (1 child4 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (12) [ collapse]