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

RS432

Incident date

January 21, 2016

Location

حي بستان القصر, Bustan al Qasr (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.19569, 37.14229 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported Russian warplanes allegedly “carried out raids on several areas in the neighbourhoods of Sheikh Saeed and Bostan al-Qasr in Aleppo.” They said that casualties had been reported in the Bustan al Qasr neighbourhood, but did not provide further details. 

Aleppo Media Center published a video depicting the aftermath of alleged Russian strikes.

Other sources, including Smart News , Al Souria.net and Al Buraq Media also said that Russia bombed the neighbourhood. Again, the sources said there had been casualties but did not provide numbers.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

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

  • Civilians attempt to clear the rubble in the aftermath of an alleged Russian raid on Bustan al Qasr. (via, AMC)
  • Footage of a Russian helicopter which was flying around the region just hours before the alleged Russian raid. (via, Halab News Network)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

No Russian reports were published for January 21st 2016.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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

RS3803

Incident date

June 14, 2019

Location

بلدات متعددة, Several towns and villages, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

An unknown number of civilians were injured when Russian and Syrian regime forces carried out air raids and shelled a number of cities, towns and villages, including Khan Sheikhun, Ma’arah al-Nu’man, Kafr Nabal, Habayt, Tirmala, Kafromah, Baarba, Arinbeh, Abidin, Al-Deir, Ahsem, Hachash, Tall Mardikh, Jericho, Kafarsganah, Tufnaz, Hayish, Sahihan, Masmudah and Hamra.

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
    1–2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Summary

  • Strike status
    Single source claim
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3337

Incident date

March 26, 2018

Location

النقير, Al Naqir, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.499547, 36.540818 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A number of civilians were reported injured in alleged Russian airstrikes on Al Naqir in Idlib, Syria on March 26th, 2018 according to local sources.

According to @IdlibPlus: “Russian warplanes, using vacuum missiles, targeted the outskirts of Al-Naqir village in southern Idlib countryside.”

However, only one of the two sources – the Shaam News Network (SNN) – reported civilian harm. SNN said: “Russian aircraft launched fierce air raids on the cities and towns of Ariha and Al Taman’a and Harsh Abidin and Al Naqir and Harsh Al Habit in the southern countryside, and Jisir Al Shugur , Al Safyat and Zarzour in the western countryside. This led to the fall of a number of wounded civilians”. The source didn’t provide figures for Al Naqir.

 

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
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

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

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3028

Incident date

February 17, 2018

Location

كفرزيتا, Kaarzeta, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.3747033, 36.5923691 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Several civilians were possibly left wounded as aerial and/or artillery shelling struck Kaarzeta, Hama, local sources reported.

Numerous sources reported how the village of Kaarzeta had been subject to aerial, and possibly also artillery shelling, the latter reported by Hamah Now.

Horrya News said that unidentified warplanes struck a hospital in the village.

 

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Healthcare facility
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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 (5) [ 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 strikes between February 1st - 28th 2018.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Healthcare facility
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • 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 (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3564

Incident date

October 12, 2018

Location

عندان, Anadan, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.29353, 37.04466 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A child was killed in the explosion of the remnants of a cluster bomb from earlier alleged Russian airstrikes on the city of Adanan, Aleppo governorate, on October 12th, 2018, according to local sources. It is unclear when the raid took place.

@MasarPressNet tweeted that “a child was martyred when a cluster bomb exploded from the remnants of the Russian shelling in the city of Andan.”

Anadan Martyrs identified the victim as the boy Amer Hamza Mudlaj.

It is unclear when the air raid took place. All sources pointed to Russia as responsible for the unexploded ordnance.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Planted explosives and unexploded ordnance (UXO)
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Translation: "Aamir Hamza Mudlaj, a child, was killed in the city of Andan due to the explosion of a cluster bomb" (via @gahnnamm).
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    The child Amer Hamza Mudlaj was killed when a cluster bomb from previous alleged Russian airstrikes exploded on October 12th, 2018 (via @gahnnamm).

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
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Planted explosives and unexploded ordnance (UXO)
  • 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 (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3467

Incident date

June 26, 2018

Location

إبطع, Ibta'a, Dara'a, Syria

Geolocation

32.7899783, 36.152792 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A young man was killed and up to six others were injured in alleged Russian or Syrian regime artillery strikes on the city of Ibta’a, Dara’a governorate, on June 26th, 2019, according to local sources.

Amin Abu Halwa wrote on Facebook that the young Ali Ahmad Al Mahmoud Al Hariri had been killed as the result of shelling on the town, in addition to “a number of wounded, from moderate to critical condition.” @shakmaskeen reported that six people were seriously injured.

@Step_Agency reported that “regime forces targeted the town of Ibta’a in the western countryside of Dara’a with artillery, while the warplanes launched several airstrikes targeting the town of Harak in the eastern Dara’a countryside.”

Nearly all sources blamed the Syrian regime for the artillery strikes, but Shaam News Network mentioned that both the Syrian regime and Russia had been responsible. Ahmad Al Masalmah blamed Iranian forces for the artillery strikes on Facebook.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    6
  • 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, Iranian Military
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (12) [ 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

Iranian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    6
  • 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, Iranian Military
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3475

Incident date

June 27, 2018

Location

الطيبة, al Tayba, Dara'a, Syria

Airwars assessment

Local sources reported that up to 13 civilians including at least three children were killed and others also including children injured in Russian forces or Syrian regime forces airstrikes on Al Taybah in Dara’a on June 27th, 2018. Daraa Martyrs Documentation Office said that ten of the victims are from the same family.

SMART News said “13 civilians were killed Wednesday as a result of a Russian air strike on the town of Taybeh in the province of Daraa, south of Syria.”

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that many of those injured are in critical conditions and that many civilians are still missing and their fate is unknown.

Daraa Martyrs Documentation Office reported that “Syrian warplanes launched a raid on the town of Taybeh in the eastern village of Daraa, targeting civilian sites inhabited by displaced persons from Daraa al-Balad , Which resulted in the massacre of thirteen martyrs, including ten martyrs from one family.  Daraa Martyrs Documentation Office documented the martyrdom of:Ahmed Awad Abazid and three of his daughters and four of his grandchildren and two of his sons in law, in addition to two martyrs, one of them a child from al Tayba and another unidentified child.”

From their side, Shaam Network blamed Russian warplanes for that. “Russian warplanes committed a new massacre in the eastern village of Daraa, where aircraft raided civilian houses and residential neighborhoods in the town of Taybeh. Activists pointed out that the Russian aircraft targeted the town several raids, which led to the death of 7 martyrs who are displaced people from al Gharya,Al Gharbiya mostly children.”

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the operation is joint between Russian forces and the Syrian regime as they said ” the regime forces continue their targeting to Daraa countryside, deliberately expanding, with the support of the Russian warplanes.”

The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that ” At least 9 civilians, most of them from the same family, killed as Syrian/ Russian regime warplanes fired missiles on al Tayba village in Daraa governorate southeastern suburbs, on June 27, 2018.”

The sources said seven of the civilians reported killed are IDPs from al Gharya and Local Coordination Committees of Syria said the seven victims are from the same family.

White Helmets published a video on Facebook in which their volunteers were rescuing a child who was under the rubble. Shaam News said the Russian warplanes raided civilians houses and residential areas, and that civil defense volunteers were not able to respond quickly because of the intensity of the bombing.

A civil defense spokesperson told SMART Agency that “Russian warplanes launched raids on residential neighborhoods in the town, killing 13 civilians and wounding four others, as civil defense teams recovered the victims and moved the wounded to nearby hospitals.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (10)

female Daughter of Ahmad Awad Abazid Al-Rantisi killed
female Daughter of Ahmad Awad Abazid Al-Rantisi killed
Child of Youssef Ayyash طفل يوسف عياش
killed
Child of Youssef Ayyash طفل يوسف عياش
killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    7 – 13
  • (3–6 children3 women3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–4
  • 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 (27) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (19) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Images of children injured or killed in alleged Russian airstrikes against the town of Tayba on June 28, 2018 (via Daraa Martyrs Documentation Office)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Images of children injured or killed in alleged Russian airstrikes against the town of Tayba on June 28, 2018 (via Daraa Martyrs Documentation Office)
  • Image of the damage to a building caused by alleged Russian airstrikes against the town of Tayba on June 28, 2018 (via Daraa Martyrs Documentation Office)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Images of children injured or killed in alleged Russian airstrikes against the town of Tayba on June 28, 2018 (via Daraa Martyrs Documentation Office)
  • Image of the damage to a building caused by alleged Russian airstrikes against the town of Tayba on June 28, 2018 (via Syrian Network for Human Rights)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Image of a child injured in alleged Russian airstrikes against the town of Tayba on June 28, 2018 (via Syrian Network for Human Rights)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • "At least 13 civilians were killed, most of them women and children, and a number of others were wounded in a horrific massacre carried out by Russian warplanes that targeted civilian homes in the town of Al-Taybeh in the eastern countryside of Daraa this evening, Wednesday."
  • A civilian reported killed in airstrikes on Taybah in Dara'a on June 27th, 2018 (via Rabi’ Khalaf ).
  • A civilian reported killed in airstrikes on Taybah in Dara'a on June 27th, 2018 (via Rabi’ Khalaf ).
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Body of a child killed in Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on Al Taybah in Dara'a on June 27th, 2018 (via Hamza Ali al Khateeb).
  • A child killed in alleged Russian forces or Syrian regime airstrikes on Al Taybah in Dara'a on June 27th, 2018 (via @qaboodabood).
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    A child killed in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on Al Taybah in Dara'a on June 27th, 2018 (via @qaboodabood )
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    "A massacre committed by Russian aircraft in the town of Taybeh in the eastern countryside of Daraa."
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    "Syria Activists: the death toll from the Russian air bombardment on the town of Taybeh in the eastern Daraa countryside has risen to 13, including children."
  • Khaled Mahmoud Ibrahim Hoshan Ayyash and Youssef Mahmoud Ibrahim Hoshan Ayyash, two brothers, were reported killed with their wives and children in Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on Al Taybah in Dara'a on June 27th, 2018 (via Martyrs Daraa Albalad ).

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
    7 – 13
  • (3–6 children3 women3 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–4
  • 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 (27) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS3204

Incident date

March 8, 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

Several civilians including a woman were wounded in “renewed” airstrikes on Hamouriya, according to local media.

The Smart News Agency said that one civilian was wounded in a Russia raid.

@KumaitAgency tweeted that “Several civilians, including women, were injured in the renewed aerial bombardment of an air strike with more than one rocket on the town of Hamouriya.” This source did not identify the culprit.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • 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 attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (2) [ collapse]

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
    0
  • 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 attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (2) [ collapse]