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

RS3778

Incident date

June 9, 2019

Location

الزكاة, Al Zakat , Hama, Syria

Airwars assessment

A civilian was reported injured in alleged Russian airstrikes on the village of Al Zakat on June 9th, 2019, according to local sources.

@HalabTodayTV’s correspondent reported: “Russian airstrikes target the cities of Kafr Zita and Murak and the villages of Zakat and Arba’in in the northern Hama countryside.”

Smart News Agency claimed that “a man was injured as a result of the bombing of Russian warplanes on the village of Al Zakat.” @shabablatamni also reported a wounded person.

All sources pointed to Russia as the belligerent responsible for the airstrikes.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Translation: “Watch Russian raids rock the Zakat village north of Hama” (via Trendat).

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
    1
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS2945

Incident date

January 29, 2018

Location

الصناعية, Sina'iya , Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.902778, 36.725833 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two to seven civilians were injured in airstrikes which hit an industrial area in Sina’iya, according to local media. Sources all attributed the blame to Moscow.

Rockets ad missiles allegedly “targeted” the vicinity, however there were no civilian deaths.

Three women and three children were included in the number of wounded.

There are no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–7
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–7
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3278

Incident date

March 15, 2018

Location

عين ترما, Ein Tarma, Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.51602, 36.35078 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Multiple sources reported alleged Russian and regime air and artillery strikes on Ein Tarma.

However, Airwars researchers have not found any claims of civilian harm.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (5) [ 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
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3309

Incident date

March 19, 2018

Location

كفرومة, Kafarouma, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.6347489, 36.6258001 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between four to seven civilians including children were injured in an alleged Russian forces airstrike on Kafrouma Village in Southern Idlib, March 19th, 2018.

Smart News Agency, Micro Syria and Step News Agency blamed Russian forces warplanes for the strike and civilian harm.

Smart News agency reported that “Warplanes carried out two raids with high-explosive rockets on the outskirts of the village (Kafrouma). Consequently, three children and a young man were injured and taken to a nearby hospital”.

Microsyria also put the wounded toll at four, however, the Step News Agency said that seven civilians were wounded.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–7
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (3) [ collapse]

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
    4–7
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3405

Incident date

April 16, 2018

Location

معرة حرمة, Ma'aret Harma, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.5497387, 36.5422624 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Russian aircraft reportedly carried out four air raids on civilian homes in the town of Ma’ra Herma, injuring three civilians, according to local sources.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • The devastation caused by the Russian occupation (via Idlib Media Center, April 2018)
  • The devastation caused by the Russian occupation (via Idlib Media Center, April 2018)
  • The devastation caused by the Russian occupation (via Idlib Media Center, April 2018)
  • The devastation caused by the Russian occupation (via Idlib Media Center, April 2018)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    3
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3345

Incident date

March 27, 2018

Location

عالية, Alia, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

32.993582, 36.032004 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Civilians were possibly killed and wounded in alleged Russian or and/or Syrian regime airstrikes on the town of Al Alia, Idlib governorate, on March 27th, 2018, according to Shaam News Network.

Activists told Smart News Agency that Syrian regime helicopters dropped explosive barrels on the villages of Mhambel and Al Alia, but that there was no information on civilian casualties.

Shaam News Network, however, reported that “Syrian helicopters and Russian warplanes launched violent airstrikes on the cities and towns of Barah, Kafrnbell, Mhmbel, Al Alia, Nukir, Habit, Altmanah and Hass and Kafroma, causing the deaths of martyrs and wounded civilians.”

It is unclear in which specific incidents as listed by Shaam the reported civilian harm occured. Hence, Airwars has rated 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
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (2) [ 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
    2
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3365

Incident date

March 31, 2018

Location

الزيادية, Al Zyadiya, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.726111, 36.358056 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The Shaam News Network reported: “Russian and Regime warplanes launched dozens of very violent air raids on the cities and towns of Idlib, causing dozens of martyrs and wounded civilians…There were a number of wounded in Khan Shekhun, Mhambel,Al Naqir, Al habit, Mukah, Al Taman’a ,Al  Khwain and Sefwhen in the southern countryside, Jisr al-Shaghoor, Marj Zuhaour and Al Zayadiya in the western countryside.”

Shaam were the only source to report civilian harm; however, @aljmhoria tweeted that the regime had carried out artillery shelling “targeting” Al Zayadiya.

No further details are currently available.

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 (2) [ 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 (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3544

Incident date

September 8, 2018

Location

عابدين, Abdin, idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

Six civilians including a girl and a woman were killed and five others including three children and a woman injured in alleged Russian forces or Syrian regime airstrikes on Abdin town in Idlib on Sep 8th, 2018. Time of the incident remains unclear as some sources said it happened in the morning, while others mentioned the afternoon.

@SyriaCivilDefe said that volunteers pulled a woman alive out of the rubble, in addition to bodies of four civilians killed in Russian airstrikes on Abdin.

@Wesal_TV tweeted “Four civilians, including a child, were killed and five others were wounded after their house was targeted by two air strikes by the Russian occupation air forces in the vicinity of the town of Abdin, south of Idlib.”

@alhsn034 said that five of the victims belong to the same family, and that the family originally displaced from Karnaz town to Abdin before they get killed with Russian airstrikes. However, @yasinaboraed said that the six people died as a funeral tent in Abdin was targeted.

Local sources identified two of the victims: Mona Swaidan, child, female, and Muhammad al-Muhammad, adult male.

Mahmood aburass posted “Today, the village of Abdin in the southern countryside of Idlib was a target of a Russian airstrike with concussion missiles, that hit a house of a displaced family north of the village, resulting in the death of five civilians (two children and three young men) and wounding four others. Of the martyrs we know the child Mona Swaidan who is an IDP from the town of Kernaz, north of Hama, and the young man, Muhammad Al-Muhammad, an IDP from the town of Khattab, north of Hama.”

The Syrian Network for Human Rights said “At least four civilians, including a girl and a woman were killed as suspected Russian warplanes fired missiles on Abdin village in Idlib governorate southern suburbs, on September 8th.”

From their side, the Syrian Human Rights Committee said that a pregnant woman was among those killed in airstrikes on Idlib on that day, but it is not clear whether this belongs to Abdin incident. “In Idlib governorate, six people, including a pregnant woman, were killed in the shelling of the villages of Abdin, Al-Halba and Al-Sarg.”

Both Russian forces and the Syrian regime were mentioned as responsible for this incident and some sources said the airstrikes were conducted jointly by both belligerents.

 

The incident occured in the afternoon.

The victims were named as:

Age unknown male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 6
  • (1 child1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–6
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (33) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (16) [ collapse]

  • Injured civilians in the aftermath of airstrikes on Abdin, 8th September 2018. (via Syrian Network for Human Rights)
  • Injured civilians in the aftermath of airstrikes on Abdin, 8th September 2018. (via Syrian Network for Human Rights)
  • Syrian Defence Volunteers rescuing civilians trapped under rubble after airstrikes on Abdin in Idlib on Sep 8th, 2018. (via @Wesal_TV).
  • Syrian Defence Volunteers rescuing civilians trapped under rubble after airstrikes on Abdin in Idlib on Sep 8th, 2018. (via @Wesal_TV).
  • Destruction in houses caused by alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on Abdin in Idlib on Sep 8th, 2018 (via @alhsn034)
  • Destruction in houses caused by alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on Abdin in Idlib on Sep 8th, 2018 (via @alhsn034)
  • Destruction in houses caused by alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on Abdin in Idlib on Sep 8th, 2018 (via @alhsn034)
  • Destruction in houses caused by alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on Abdin in Idlib on Sep 8th, 2018 (via @alhsn034)
  • A Syrian Civil Defence volunteer moving a body of a civilian victim of alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on Abdin, Idlib on Sep 8th, 2018 (via @SyriaCivilDefe)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Mona Sweidan was killed as a result of airstrikes on Abdin on Sep 8th, 2018 (Coordinating qmhana And alzoa).
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Mona Sweidan was killed as a result of airstrikes on Abdin on Sep 8th, 2018 (Coordinating qmhana And alzoa).
  • One of the civilians killed or injured in airstrikes on Abdin in Idlib on Sep 8th, 2018. (via Coordinating qmhana And alzoa).
  • One of the civilians killed or injured in airstrikes on Abdin in Idlib on Sep 8th, 2018. (via Coordinating qmhana And alzoa).
  • Destruction caused by alleged Russian forces or Syrian regime airstrikes on Abdin in Idlib on September 8th, 2018 (Mahmood aburass).
  • Destruction caused by alleged Russian forces or Syrian regime airstrikes on Abdin in Idlib on September 8th, 2018 (Mahmood aburass).
  • Destruction caused by alleged Russian forces or Syrian regime airstrikes on Abdin in Idlib on September 8th, 2018 (Mahmood aburass).

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
    2 – 6
  • (1 child1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–6
  • 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
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (33) [ collapse]