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

RS4360

Incident date

January 25, 2020

Location

بلدات متعددة, Several towns in Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

The Shaam News Network reported: “Russian and Assad warplanes and helicopters launched air strikes in the midst of artillery and missile shelling that targeted the points of clashes, cities and towns, villages of Kafr Hamra, Al Atareb, Huritan, Khan Toman, Khan al-Asal, scientific research, Mansoura, Zorba, al-Kamari, Zaitan, al-Artyq, al-Barqum, the halls of Lermoun, Khalsa, al-Eis, al-Rashideen, Sheikh Ali, al-Bawabiyah, Jabal Mahawa, Jabal Shuja It caused civilian casualties and displaced thousands of civilians.”

No further details are currently available.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–5
  • 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 (1) [ 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
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–5
  • 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 (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS4357

Incident date

January 25, 2020

Location

تل منس, Tal Menas, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

Three or four Syrian Civil Defense ‘White Helmets’ volunteers were reported lightly wounded when Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes targeted their center in Tal Menas in Idlib, Syria on January 25th, 2020, according to local sources.

Syrian Civil Defense said in a FB post that “Saleh Ihrahim, Ihab Hashash, and Abdul Qadir Al-Sulaiman, three volunteers from Tal Menas center were injured as a result of airstrikes by Russian warplanes while they were in Al Ruwaiha village.”

However, Ariha Today said that “In the town of Ruwaiha, the Tal Menas Civil Defense Center was targeted by Russian warplanes, which resulted in the injury of three volunteers, lightly destroying the rescue vehicle and some equipment in the center.”

Shaam Network said the attack caused a suspension of the services of Tal Menas medical center.

Step Agency and SMART Agency blamed both Russia and the Syrian regime for the incident, while Ariha Today, @SyrianCoalition and Syrian Civil Defense blamed Russia, but Shaam Network blamed both Russia and the Syria regime for that. The Syrian Coalition reported that three missiles launched by Russian warplanes struck the center.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Adult male injured
Adult male injured
Adult male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–4
  • 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
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • A SCD volunteer injured in alleged Russian airstrikes on Tal Menas in Idlib, Syria on January 25th 2020. (via SCD)
  • A SCD volunteer injured in alleged Russian airstrikes on Tal Menas in Idlib, Syria on January 25th 2020. (via SCD)
  • A SCD volunteer injured in alleged Russian airstrikes on Tal Menas in Idlib, Syria on January 25th 2020. (via SCD)
  • Damage to a vehicle used by SCD as a result of the Russian warplanes targeting their center in Tal Menas, Idlib, Syria on January 25th, 2020 (via @SyrianCoalition)
  • Damage to a vehicle used by SCD as a result of the Russian warplanes targeting their center in Tal Menas, Idlib, Syria on January 25th, 2020 (via @RaedAlSaleh3)
  • Damage to a vehicle used by SCD as a result of the Russian warplanes targeting their center in Tal Menas, Idlib, Syria on January 25th, 2020 (via @RaedAlSaleh3)
  • Damage to a vehicle used by SCD as a result of the Russian warplanes targeting their center in Tal Menas, Idlib, Syria on January 25th, 2020 (via @media_idlib)

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
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    3–4
  • 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
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS4358

Incident date

January 25, 2020

Location

كفر البطيخ , Kafar Albatiekh, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

One civilian was killed and others were wounded on January 25th 2020 due to an air raid by Assad regime or Russian warplanes against the village of Kafar Albatiekh.

Media Idlib reported that one man was killed and homes were destroyed in Kafar Albatiekh. Civil Defense confirmed the death and the recovery of the body, but no name was released. Local reports also noted a number of civilians were wounded, but no names or numbers were released.

The village of Kafar Albatiekh is a civilian area and numerous homes were destroyed by a combination of machine gun fire and barrel bombs.

Halab Today along with local sources reported the use of MiG-21 warplanes that belong to the Assad regime. Shaam News attributed the strikes to both Russian and regime strikes while @so_ria98 blamed Russian forces.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • White Helmets respond to airstrikes on Kafar Albatiekh on January 25, 2020. (Image posted by Syrian Civil Defense)
  • White Helmets respond to airstrikes on Kafar Albatiekh on January 25, 2020. (Image posted by Syrian Civil Defense)

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
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS4359

Incident date

January 25, 2020

Location

بنين,, Benin, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

One man was wounded by an alleged Russian or regime airstrike against the village of Benin on January 25th 2020.

Local residents reported that two air raids struck Benin. Baladi News reported that Benin was one village that was a target of over 200 airstrikes carried out by the Assad regime. Ariha Today noted one injury, and the man was identified as Yakeen Yaser Bido.

Both residents of Benin along with news agencies reported that the airstrikes were carried out by warplanes belonging to the Assad regime. However, a Facebook post by Yakeen Yaser Bido attributed the airstrikes to Russian forces. @MasarPressNet identified vacuum missiles as being used in the attack.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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]

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
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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

R1409

Incident date

January 25, 2020

Location

بلدات متعددة, , Several towns in Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

Shaam Network reported that “Russian and Assad warplanes and helicopters launched airstrikes in the midst of artillery and missile shelling that targeted the points of clashes, cities and towns, villages of Kafr Hamra, Al Atareb, Huritan, Khan Toman, Khan al-Asal, scientific research, Mansoura, Zorba, al-Kamari, Zaitan, al-Artyq, al-Barqum, the halls of Lermoun, Khalsa, al-Eis, al-Rashideen, Sheikh Ali, al-Bawabiyah, Jabal Mahawa, Jabal Shuja It caused civilian casualties and displaced thousands of civilians.”

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
    1–2
  • 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 (1) [ 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
    1–2
  • 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 (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS4366

Incident date

January 26, 2020

Location

بينين, Benin, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

One civilian was killed and another one injured by an alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the village of Benin, Idlib Governorate on January 26th, 2020, according to local media reports.

The Local Coordination Committees of Syria posted: “18:18 A regime’s warplane raid targeting the village of Benin. Resulting in the death of a young man and the injury of another.”

The Syrian Civil Defense said: “‘Yassin Al-Khader’, a civil defense volunteer, was wounded during a visit to the regime forces’ shelling in the town of Benin, south of Idlib, yesterday evening.”

@jisrtv and @Ahmad_eyasmagd both reported that the village was targeted using barrel bombs

According to Shaam News, both Russia and the Syrian regime bombed Benin on that day.

The incident occured at 18:18:00 local time.

The victims were named as:

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Yassin Al-Khader, a civil defense volunteer, was injured in an alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the village of Benin, Idlib governorate on January 26th, 2020. (via Syria Civil Defense)

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
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • 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
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS4362

Incident date

January 26, 2020

Location

بزابور, Bazabour, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

Three civilians, including a woman and her husband, were killed and others were injured in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the town of Bazabour in Idlib Governorate, Syria on January 26 th 2020.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights said “Syrian regime killed a man & his wife in Bazabour village in Idlib: Majed Nour al Din Abdullah and his wife Amenah al Hassoun, were killed on January 26th, 2020, as Syrian regime forces’ helicopters dropped barrel bombs on Bazabour village in Jabal al Zaweya area in the southern suburbs of Idlib governorate where one barrel bomb fell on their house in the village, while the Civil Defense team were evacuating them from the house to safer area.”

The Palestine News Network reported: “Russian warplanes bombed a civil defense vehicle that was transporting a displaced family in the village of Bazabur in the southern countryside of Idlib, which led to the killing of a man and his wife and the burning of the civil defense vehicle”.

Three of the sources reported that additional civilians had been injured.

Shaam said that Russian and Syrian regime warplanes and helicopters launched “dozens of airstrikes” targeting different areas of Idlib including Bazabour causing the death of the man and his wife.

SyrianCoalition said the strike occured in the morning but the Local Coordination Committees of Syria put the time stamp at 22:31. Other sources also described the strike as having taken place in the evening.

The incident occured at 22:31:00 local time.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Adult male killed
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2 – 3
  • (1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • Majed Nour al Din Abdullah, who was killed alongside his wife in an alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the town of Bazabour, Idlib Governorate on January 26th, 2020 (via SN4HR)
  • Destroyed building after an airstrike on Bazabour on January 26th, 2020 (via SN4HR)
  • An image of vehicle that was destroyed in an alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the town of Bazabour, Idlib Governorate on January 26 th 2020. According to the Syrian Civil Defense, the vehicle was struck whilst evacuating a family from the town resulting in the deaths of up to three civilians. (Uploaded by the Syrian Civil Defense)
  • An image that was uploaded alongside a post about an alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike that struck the town of Bazabour, Idlib Governorate on January 26 th 2020. (Uploaded by The Syrian Civil Defense)

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 – 3
  • (1 woman1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS4363

Incident date

January 26, 2020

Location

سراقب, Saraqib, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

One civilian, a young man, was killed and as many as four civilians, including a child, were wounded when Russian or Syrian regime warplanes bombed the city of Saraqib, Idlib Governorate, on January 26 th 2020, according to local sources.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SN4HR) said that “Amer al Khader was killed as Syrian regime fixed-wing warplanes fired missiles on al Gharbi neighborhood in Saraqeb city in the eastern suburbs of Idlib governorate, on January 26th, 2020.”

One source said Amer al Khader was 17-years-old, another said he was in his 20’s.

@Hani_Alymani reported that four people were injured including a child. Several other sources specified the child was a girl.

Maged.almhmad.146 said warplanes carried out two raids, one on a market and the other in a western neighborhood in the city.

The Local Coordination Committees of Syria also said the attack caused the injury of two other civilians. It added that the strike took place at 11:14 pm.

Sources differed as to the type of munition used. @IdlibPlus said the Syrian regime used vacuum missiles, @baladinetwork said the strike was carried out using “C-8 missiles” and Saraqebtoday2 said warplanes carried out two raids using vacuum missiles and machine guns.

In addition to @IdlibPlus, Edlib Media Center, Syrian Network for Human Rights, Local Coordination Committees of Syria and Step Agency blamed the regime, while SMART blamed Russia. Shaam Network blamed both Russia and the regime.

Smart News said: “The director of the Civil Defense Center in Saraqib Laith Ahmed told Smart, that Russian warplanes launched raids on the international highway connecting the cities of Aleppo and Damascus in the vicinity of the village of Dadekh, east of the city of Idlib, killing a civilian.”

 

The incident occured at 23:14:00 local time.

The victims were named as:

20 years old male grandson of Abu Salah, from the High School road in the Western Quarter killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–4
  • 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

Sources (37) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (7) [ collapse]

  • Amer Khadr Al-Mustafa, allegedly killed by an airstrike on Saraqib on January 26th, 2020 (via Saraqeb deaths)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Amer Khadr Al-Mustafa, who was killed in an allegedly Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the city of Saraqib, Idlib Governorate on January 26th, 2020. (via Saraqeb deaths)
  • A child who was injured in an alleged Syrian regime or Russian airstrike on the city of Saraqib, Idlib Governorate on January 26th 2020. Sources mentioned as many as four civilians were injured in the strike including a girl. (Uploaded by @Abdzakor1994)
  • Destroyed building after an airstrike on Saraqib on January 26th, 2020 (via EMC)
  • Destroyed building after an airstrike on Saraqib on January 26th, 2020 (via EMC)
  • Destroyed building after an airstrike on Saraqib on January 26th, 2020 (via EMC)
  • A destroyed building following an alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike on the city of Saraqib, Idlib Governorate, on January 26 th 2020. (Uploaded by @Tamer_Turkmane)

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 harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–4
  • 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

Sources (37) [ collapse]