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

RS081

Incident date

October 27, 2015

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

Eight named civilians were killed and a number injured in a reported Russian night-time airstrike at Hraytan, near Aleppo.

The White Helmets – whose teams worked through the night to retrieve the dead and injured, reported: “Civil Defence team pulls out seven martyrs and several injured following Russian bombardement with vacuum missiles.

Hraytan City, an opposition site, later published the names of eight people it said had died in the attack.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Haytham Ismail Quraifi
Adult male killed
Mohammad Masha’el
Adult male 65 years old killed
Abdullah Haytham Al Quraifi
Child male 10 years old killed
Mohammad Ghazal
Adult male killed
Mohammad Mustapha Abdo
Adult male killed
Mohammad Abdo
Adult male killed
Ahmad Ghazal
Adult male killed
Khudar Bin Ali Hamsho
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8
  • (1 child7 men)
  • 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
    Unknown

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • Rescuers at Hraytan October 27th (via Shaam News Network)
  • Civil Defence team pulls out 7 martyrs and several injured following Russian bombardment with vacuum missiles on the area of Assya in northern countryside. [Assya is in Hraytan] (via Majed Ahmad)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Title: Shaam Aleppo countryside. Scenes from the Russian raids on the town of Hraytan and the search for martyrs by the civil defence team 27/10/2015 (via SNN)
  • The work to remove the martyrs from under the rubble following the targeting of Russian planes of the neighbourhoods of the town of Hraytan with several raids. (via SNN)
  • The work to remove the martyrs from under the rubble following the targeting of Russian planes of the neighbourhoods of the town of Hraytan with several raids. (via SNN)
  • one of the children wounded in the Russian strikes on the city (via Hretan facebook)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Hraytan (حريتان), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.287032, 37.08332. 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

The Russian Defence Ministry has confirmed carrying out airstrikes in Aleppo governorate on October 27th-28th 2015: “For 24 hours, aircraft of the Russian air group in the Syrian Arab Republic have performed 71 combat sorties engaging 118 terrorist objects in the Idlib, Homs, Hama, Aleppo, Damascus and Lattakia provinces…

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    8
  • (1 child7 men)
  • 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
    Unknown

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS079

Incident date

October 26, 2015

Location

كفرنبل‎, Kafr Nabil, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.6152326, 36.560955 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A suspected Russian airstrike on the town of Kafr Nabil killed a father and his daughter while injuring the mother and son, according to reports. The dead were later named by Violations Documentation Center as Hatem Khaled al-Khatieb and his 12-year old daughter Diaa Hatem al Khatieb.

However Mr al-Khatieb was later named by All4Syria as a fighter with the rebel group Ahrar Al Sham.

Activist Raed Al Fares, from Kafr Nabil, told the Syrian Network: “A number of Russian warplanes were hovering around in the sky and each went in a different direction. When I rushed to the shelling site, the residents told me that a rocket targeted one of houses. The top floor was completely destroyed and the ground floor was greatly damaged. Also I was told that there were some injured people who have fallen. I went to the hospital and saw the injured residents. A father and his 12 years old daughter were killed and three others from the same family were injured The house is located in the western neighbourhood of Kafr nabel and it is free of any military presence next to it. We have monitoring devices which enabled us to hear the pilots talking to each other in Russian and that is how we knew they were Russians.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Hatem Khaled al-Khatieb
Adult male killed
Diaa Hatem al Khatieb
Child female Mr al-Khatieb was later named by All4Syria as a fighter with the rebel group Ahrar Al Sham killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 child1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–3
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • Scene of two fatalities at Kafr Neul October 25th, following an alleged Russian airstrike (via Kefr Nabul News Network)
  • Hatem Khaled Al Khateeb Kafrnabl (via News Network facebook)
  • Photo of Mohammad Hatem Khatib (via All4Syria)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military

The Russian Defence Ministry issued no public update for strikes on October 26th-27th 2015.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (1 child1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–3
  • 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 (12) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS078

Incident date

October 25, 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

According to the White Helmets in Aleppo, “Russian warplanes bomb the towns of Al Bab and Tadef yesterday evening with several raids using vacuum missiles – leaving several dead and dozens wounded and homes destroyed.” Other reports described two raids on Tadef and one on Al Bab.

Radio Al Kul attributed the attacks to the Syrian regime, and also said that while there were no fatalities in Tadef, three civilians had been killed at al Bab.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • Civilians reported injured
    20
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • Daesh propaganda of a child injured in an airstrike on Al Bab October 25th 2015 (via A'maq)
  • Translation: #Aleppo 3 martyrs and many injured following warplane shelling on the town of al bab.
  • Translation: the fall of three civilians and more than twenty wounded following a raid by a warplane on the town of al bab.
  • Translation: Urgent - Aleppo news correspondent: Russian agression planes targeting the city of al bab with several air raids using vacuum missiles.
  • translation: three martyrs and many injured civilians following regime warplane shelling of the city of al bab.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the city of Al Bab (الباب), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.371972, 37.51631. 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

The Russian Defence Ministry has confirmed carrying out airstrikes in Aleppo governorate on October 25th-26th 2015. “In the course of the last 24 hours, the Russian air group carried out 59 sorties engaging 94 terrorist objects in the Hama, Idlib, Lattakia, Damascus, Aleppo, Deir ez-Zor provinces.“

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • Civilians reported injured
    20
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS077

Incident date

October 25, 2015

Location

الشيخ بركة, Sheikh Barakeh, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.559369, 36.979087 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to the Syrian Observatory, “suspected Russian warplanes attacked the village of al-Sheikh Barakah in the township of Sinjar in the eastern countryside of Idlib, killing a woman and [her] two children while other civilians were seriously wounded.” A third child died a fews days later of her injuries.

The centre of the village was targeted in the incident, resulting in widespread destruction. Up to 20 civilians were also reported injured. The Syrian Network later cited an eyewitness: “I was 3km away from the shelling incident. At 8pm on Sunday night, a Russian warplane launched a vacuum missile on the eastern neighborhood. I saw a warplane from a very high altitude and it launched a rocket without even flying at lower altitudes to reach the target. When it launched the rocket the sky was lit from the severity of the explosion. The neighborhood, which is free of any military headquarters, was shelled, and shops and houses around 500 meters were damaged, and a woman, her son and another child were killed. Five minutes later the warplane performed another raid 250 meters away from the first shelling location with a vacuum missile also. There, at least 7 shops were damaged. I do not know why they are shelling civilians.”

 

The incident occured at 20:00:00 local time.

The victims were named as:

Family members (3)

Sanae Walid A Mhaimeed
Child female Died of her injuries October 27th killed
Kamel Mhammad al-Mhaimeed
Child female killed
Sajed Waleed al-Mhaimeed
Child female killed

The victims were named as:

Fatme Khaled al-Hawyan
Adult female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (3 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    20
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (9) [ collapse]

  • GRAPHIC Child victim of an alleged Russian airstrike at (via Jaish Al-Fateh)
  • image of a child killed in the strike (via Jaish Al-Fateh)
  • image of a child killed in the strike (via Jaish Al-Fateh)
  • image of a child killed in the strike (via Jaish Al-Fateh)
  • image of a child killed in the strike (via Adnan Abu Mahmooh facebook page)
  • image of a child killed in the strike (via Adnan Abu Mahmooh facebook page)
  • translation: the death of three martyrs with God’s will and nearly 20 wounded in the village of Al Sheikh Baraka in the eastern countryside - Russian plane raids.
  • Translation: Opposition sources: Dead and injured in Russian strikes on the village of Sheikh Baraka in Idlib countryside
  • Translation: Idlib countryside: the martyrdom of two children and a woman and the wounding of 20 others following Russian plane bombardement of the Sheikh Baraka area near Ma’arat Al No’man.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village Sheikh Barakeh (الشيخ بركة), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.559369, 36.979087. 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

The Russian Defence Ministry has confirmed carrying out airstrikes at Idlib on October 25th-26th 2015. “In the course of the last 24 hours, the Russian air group carried out 59 sorties engaging 94 terrorist objects in the Hama, Idlib, Lattakia, Damascus, Aleppo, Deir ez-Zor provinces.“

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    4
  • (3 children1 woman)
  • Civilians reported injured
    20
  • 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 (10) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS076

Incident date

October 23, 2015

Location

أريحا, Ariha, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.81374, 36.60964 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A single source, the Syrian Observatory, reported the death of a man in an alleged Russian strike, noting: “A man from the city of al-Mayadin was killed in the bombing by warplanes believed to be Russian yesterday on areas at the outskirts of Ariha city in Idlib province.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Unknown

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Ariha, for which the generic coordinates are: 35.81374, 36.60964. 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

There is no published Russian Defence Ministry record for October 23rd-24th 2015.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Unknown

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS073

Incident date

October 23, 2015

Location

الزربة, Az Zarbah, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.06763, 36.97987 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian named as Hamad Ahmad Al Rajab was reported killed and others injured in an alleged Russian airstrike on Zerbeih, in southern rural Aleppo.

However local rebels also said that the town came under attack from “fierce artillery and rocket shelling” by Assad regime ground forces.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Hamad Ahmad Al Rajab
Adult male

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • 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
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • translation: Aleppo. the death of a martyr in a raid by Russian planes - 4 raids on al Zarba and two on Zeitan. (via @moaazalabbas)
  • Translation: Opposition sources: Dead and injured following aerial bombardment of the village of Al Zarba in rural Aleppo. (via Syrianewsco)
  • Breaking #Aleppo one martyr and several injured civilians in bombardment by the Russian warplanes on the town of Zarba in southern rural Aleppo. (via so_ria98)
  • Translation: #Aleppo the martyrdom of Hamad Ahmad Al Rajab following russian plane raids on the town of Al Zarba and the fall of several wounded. (via LccSy)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Zarbah (الزربة), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.06763, 36.97987. 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

There is no published Russian Defence Ministry record for October 23rd-24th 2015.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • 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
    Unknown, Syrian Regime

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS074

Incident date

October 23, 2015

Location

حيان, Hayyan, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.32417, 37.05886 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The Shaam News Network and others alleged that Russian aircraft had dropped cluster munitions (pictured below) in northern Aleppo governorate. Two civilians were killed, named as Hussein Adel Osso and Mohamad Yehya Al Seraj. Five others were injured in the evening strike, including a member of the local civil defence team.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mohamad Yehya Al Seraj
Adult male killed
Hussein Adel Osso
Adult male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–5
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (6) [ collapse]

  • Translation: civil defence in the town of Hayyan in Aleppo countryside deactivating cluster bombs fired by Russian planes.
  • Translation: the fall of many wounded following air raids carried out by Russian warplanes on the town of Hayyan in northern Aleppo countryside
  • Civil defence in the town of Hayyan in Aleppo countryside deactivating cluster bombs fired by Russian planes. (via Halab Today TV)
  • civil defence in the town of Hayyan in Aleppo countryside deactivating cluster bombs fired by Russian planes.
  • Civil defence in the town of Hayyan in Aleppo countryside deactivating cluster bombs fired by Russian planes. (via Halab Today TV)
  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    Civil defence buried Hussein Adel Osso who was martyred as a result of Russian warplane raids on the town of Hayyan with more than a 100 cluster bombs. (via Civil Defence Aleppo)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Hayyan (حيان), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.32417, 37.05886. 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

There is no published Russian Defence Ministry record for October 23rd-24th 2015.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    2
  • (2 men)
  • Civilians reported injured
    4–5
  • 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 (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS075

Incident date

October 23, 2015

Location

جبل الزاوية, Jabal Al Zawiya, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.71345, 36.52933 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Media activist Wassim Al A’dil was one of two civilians reported killed in an airstrike at Jabal al Zawiya. The other has been named by Violations Documentation Center as Mohammad Abd al-Razzaq al-Harami. The pair were reportedly on their way to cover nearby Russian airstrikes when they were caught up in an attack.

Shaam News network paid tribute to Al A’dil: “The martyr is from Ma’arat al No’man and is one of the leading activists in the province of Idlib. Wassim played a huge part in covering the events on the ground in all the areas of the provinceWith the loss of Wassim the media of the Syrian Revolution will miss one of its stars, whose smile lit up much of the darkness and cheered up many sad people.”

While most sources linked the strike to Russia, VDC reports that regime aircraft were responsible.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Mohammad Abd al-Razzaq al-Harami
Adult male
Wassim Al A’dil
Adult male Media activist killed

Summary

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

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • Wassim Al A’dil, killed in an airstrike Oct 23rd 2015 (via SNN)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Jabal Al Zawiya (جبل الزاوية), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.71345, 36.52933. 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

There is no published Russian Defence Ministry record for October 23rd-24th 2015.

Summary

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