Russian Military in Syria

Russian Military in Syria

A Russian combat aircraft at Khmeimim airbase in Syria being prepared for action. (Russian Ministry of Defence)

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Russian Military
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Incident Code

RS503

Incident date

January 29, 2016

Location

حتلا, Hatla, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

35.34169, 40.19897 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Two civilians were killed and three injured when the village of Hatla was allegedly targeted by Russian warplanes, according to local sources.

Deir Ezzor is Being Slaughtered Silently reported the death of two adult males – Bassam Al Samran and Bassel Al Samran – in a Russian raid that targeted a sweet shop “near Hilwiyat Al Badr”.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Bassam al-Samran
Adult male killed
Basel al-Samran
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

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…Long-range bomber aviation aircraft supported units of the Syrian governmental troops which defended the city of Deir ez-Zor. The airstrikes carried out by Tu-22M3 bombers from the territory of the Russian Federation jointly with tactical aviation from the Hmeymim airbase, engaged 23 important terrorists’ objects in that district. The attempt of terrorists to assault Deir ez-Zor was frustrated.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS539

Incident date

February 4, 2016

Location

حريتان, Hraytan, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

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

Airwars assessment

Between three and four civilians were killed in alleged Russian airstrikes on Hraytan, according to local sources.

According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, three victims including a child died when “suspected Russian warplanes” fired missiles on Hraytan.

Shaam News Network published a distressing video showing “the reaction of a mother who finds her son’s remains” – but did not say whether the Assad regime or Russia were responsible for the attack, stating only that “the aim of publishing the video is not to shock the viewer but to document the crimes of Assad’s forces and his Russian allies.”

However, the video was linked by the Violations Documentation Center, who blamed Russia. Other footage published by The City of Hraytan showed the aftermath of alleged Russian raids.

The Syrian Press Center reported that Russian planes launched raids on “Baghdad Street” in Hraytan, killing three, and wounding “many,” including women and children.

Three victims were named by the Violations Documentation Center.

The Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies also listed three victims; two of them are Ahmad Othman Hamedia and Ibraheem Othman Hamedia. The other is named as Samir Ahmed Hamdaoui [who may be the same as Ahmad Othman Hamedi.]

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ahmad Othman Hamedi
Adult male Listed by VDC killed
Ahmad Aadel Masri
Adult male Listed by VDC killed
Ibraheem Othman Hamedi
Adult male Listed by VDC killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 4
  • (0–1 children3 men)
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    DISTRESSING: a woman weeps over the body following an alleged Russian airstrike on Hraytan, Feb 4th.

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

From February 4th – February 11th, Russia reported: “In the course of the last week, February 4-11, aircraft of the Russian aviation group in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 510 combat sorties engaging 1,888 terrorists’ objects in the provinces of Aleppo, Latakia, Hama, Deir ez-Zor, Daraa, Homs, Hasakah and Raqqah.“ It added: “Two powerful field commanders were liquidated in the Aleppo province.In the suburbs of Kalaz-Tahtani, a large illegal armed group with its commander, “Abu Maher” (“Farid Al-Misri”) was eliminated by an airstrike.The field commander “Abu Anas Al-Sham” from the Jaysh al-Sham terrorist group was liquidated in the territory of the same province.” It also said that “Russian aviation eliminated open ISIS oil storages in the Aleppo province.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 4
  • (0–1 children3 men)
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS572

Incident date

February 8, 2016

Location

تلبيسة, Talbisah, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.840505, 36.72922 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One woman, Fatima al-Yousef, was reported killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Talbiseh according to local sources.

The victim was also named by the Violations Documentation Center, Damascus Center for Human Rights and Talbisah Media Center.

According to Talbisah Media Center, “many” civilians were also injured and there was “huge” destruction to private property. It also published  a video showing a little girl who had been removed from the rubble.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Fatima al-Yousef
Age unknown female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of a strike on Talbiseh, Feb 8th.

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

From February 4th – February 11th, Russia reported: “In the course of the last week, February 4-11, aircraft of the Russian aviation group in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 510 combat sorties engaging 1,888 terrorists’ objects in the provinces of Aleppo, Latakia, Hama, Deir ez-Zor, Daraa, Homs, Hasakah and Raqqah.” It added: “During air duty mission, Su-25 attack aircraft detected 3 hardware columns transporting militants, armament and munitions along the highway Al-Qaryatayn – Homs. The strike resulted in elimination of 9 heavy trucks with munitions and more than 40 militants.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS605

Incident date

February 13, 2016

Location

حلب, Castello-Kafr Hamra Road, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.19949, 37.134479 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Five non-combatants including three to four women died when a civilian car was targeted  on Castello-Kafr Hamra Road in Aleppo, according to local sources. All but one said this was an attack by the Assad regime – while the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights does not specify who was responsible.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights blamed regime warplanes, putting the death toll at five. Huraytan City, also said the regime was responsible, reporting that five individuals died  when their car was targeted.

Step News Agency  put the death toll at five (four women and one man) and said that the regime fired a “thermal rocket” on a civilian car. Two other sources: Aksalser News and Al Jisr TV, also attributed the incident to regime militia.

However in a report on Russian strikes in northern Aleppo on February 13th, The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also said that five were killed when a thermal missile targeted the road, but did not say whether the victims were killed as a result of a Russian strike in this case.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (3–4 women)
  • 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]

  • A car supposedly targeted in the strike. (via, Huraytan City)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

From February 10th – February 16th, Russia reported: “On February 10-16, aircraft of the Russian aviation group in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 444 combat sorties engaging 1593 terrorists’ objects in the provinces of Deir ez-Zor, Daraa, Homs, Hama, Latakia and Aleppo.”

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5
  • (3–4 women)
  • 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

RS637

Incident date

February 18, 2016

Location

تدمر, Palmyra, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.5655244, 38.2873535 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, three civilians including two children died in “airstrikes thought to be Russian” in Palmyra, Homs.

Sinnnews reported that “four were wounded and a child had his leg amputated while a man was seriously injured in Russian attacks on Palmyra.”

The Violations Documentation Center named one victim (a child), killed in a Russian strike.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mohammad Rabea al Qayem
Child male Listed by VDC killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 3
  • (1–2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Aftermath of the alleged strike. (via, Palmyra News)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia has published no known record of strikes in Syria from February 17th – February 29th.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 3
  • (1–2 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS669

Incident date

February 25, 2016

Location

دير الزور, Deir ez-Zor, Syria

Geolocation

35.3353632, 40.1380348 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One woman was killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Kahtan hospital, according to local sources.

Euphrates Post reported: “A woman was killed due to Russian warplane raid in Kahtan hospital near Hasan Al-Taha street.” Three other sources also blamed Russia for carrying out a strike near the hospital, which they said killed one female.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    Healthcare facility
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia has published no known record of strikes in Syria from February 17th – February 29th.

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    Healthcare facility
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • 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 (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS701

Incident date

March 2, 2016

Location

كسرة الفرج, Kasret Farj, Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

35.9306391, 39.0059495 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to seven civilians including one child were reported killed and up to 71 others injured in alleged Russian airstrikes focusing on a water company on the outskirts of the city, according to multiple sources.

Shaam News reported that Russian warplanes used cluster bombs to target the water facility, killing seven non-combatants, injuring 70 more and causing widespread destruction to civilian property. A’amaq (ISIL’s media wing) said there were three Russian raids and put the number of injured at 71, with seven killed.

According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, “The warplanes, alleged as Russian, cluster bombed the Water Foundation in the village of Kasrat Faraj in the southern part of the province of Raqqa, under the control of the ISIL, and killed five people, including a child, and about 20 others injured.“

Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently also reported on the incident. It named three victims as killed in Russian strikes.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mahmoud al Habib
Adult male killed
Mazen Hikmat al Yussuf
Adult male killed
Wouroud Samir Saoud 
Child female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 7
  • (1 child2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    20–71
  • 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 (13) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Mazen Hekmat Yousef died in suspected Russian warplanes shelling on Raqqa city, March 2.' (via SN4HR)
  • The remains of cluster bombs, allegedly dropped by Russian warplanes on Kasret Farj, Mar 2nd (via RBSS)
  • Aftermath of the incident in Kasret Farj (via RBSS)
  • Aftermath of the incident in Kasret Farj (via RBSS)
  • Aftermath of the incident in Kasret Farj (via RBSS)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia has published no known record of strikes in Syria for March 1st to March 30th.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    5 – 7
  • (1 child2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    20–71
  • 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 (13) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS733

Incident date

March 13, 2016

Location

السخنة, As Sukhnah, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

34.8848748, 38.8711739 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Between seven and eight civilians including three children and one or two women died in alleged Russian airstrikes on Sukhna, according to local sources.

Shaam News reported that eight civilians including were killed and more than 10 others injured on alleged Russian raids on Sukhna. SNN added: “The co-ordinating city of Palmyra said that in addition to the martyrs and the wounded, there are dozens of civilians stuck under the rubble because of the large scale of the destruction.“

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that  “seven civilians, a man and two of his sons and a man and his wife and another man and a female civilian were killed, and others injured by the air strikes carried out by warplanes believed to be Russian’s targeted areas in Sukhna town of East countryside of Homs.”

Enab Baladi also put the death toll at eight but didn’t identify the warplanes responsible.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 8
  • (3 children1–2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10
  • 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 (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • "8 martyrs in the Russian air force massacre in Al-Sukhna" (Via Jisrtv twitter)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia has published no known record of strikes in Syria for March 1st to March 30th.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 8
  • (3 children1–2 women)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10
  • 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 (11) [ collapse]