Russian Military in Syria

In September 2015 Russian military forces intervened in Syria initially as part of a limited campaign against so-called Islamic State terrorists. This campaign turned into more substantive military support to Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad in his deadly fight with opposition groups, killing thousands of civilians in rebel-held areas. Operations came to an end with Assad’s fall in December 2024.

Airwars documented thousands of allegations of civilian harm from Russian strikes in Syria and produced research and reports on the conflict.

Airwars estimate of civilian deaths

4,431 – 6,522

Locally reported civilian deaths from declared or likely Russian Military actions in Syria for which the reporting was assessed by Airwars as Fair, or have been Confirmed by the Russian Military. These originate from 4,977 separate alleged incidents.

1,174 – 1,440
children likely killed
647 – 782
women likely killed
6,672
likely injured
3,500
named victims

Russian Military estimate of civilian deaths

0

Confirmed civilian deaths, from Russian Military actions in Syria, originating from 0 separate incidents of civilian harm.

civilians confirmed injured
Alleged deaths
15,841 – 25,260
Locally reported civilian deaths from Russian Military actions in Syria.
4,977 seperate alleged incidents
Confirmed or Fair
4,431 – 6,522
Civilian deaths for which the reporting was assessed by Airwars as Fair, or have been Confirmed by Russian Military
1,380 seperate alleged incidents
Weak
739 – 861
Civilian deaths for which the reporting was assessed by Airwars as Weak.
466 seperate alleged incidents
Contested
10,557 – 17,748
Civilian deaths for which the reporting is assessed by Airwars as Contested.
3,115 seperate alleged incidents
Discounted
114 – 129
Civilian deaths were Discounted by Airwars after assessment.
16 seperate alleged incidents
4942 incidents
Order results by:
Incident DatePublication Date

Incident Date

28 March 2019

Incident Code

RS3604

Location

خان شيخون, Khan Sheikhoun, Ma'arat al-Numan, Syria
One woman was injured in an alleged regime or Russian artillery strike on Khan Sheikhoun, according to local media. On March 28th, the Syrian Observatory said "that it had monitored more violations in the areas of the Russian-Turkish truce and surrounding areas" It added that it had "monitored intensive bombardment by regime forces with more than…

Summary

Published
28 March 2019
Strike Type
Artillery
Civilians reported injured
1
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

28 March 2019

Incident Code

RS3603

Location

معرة النعمان, Ma'aret al-Nu'man, Idlib, Syria
Local media reported that four civilians including a woman were wounded when a cluster bomb that was dropped in a previous strike (the date unknown) exploded in Ma'aret al-Nu'man on March 28th. Sources were conflicted on whether the cluster bomb had originally been dropped by regime or Russian forces.  

Summary

Published
28 March 2019
Civilians reported injured
4
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

27 March 2019

Incident Code

RS3602

Location

اللطامنة, Al-Lataminah, Hama, Syria
One adult male civilian was wounded in alleged regime or Russian artillery shelling of Al-Lataminah, according to local media. The Smart News Agency, citing activists as its source, reported: "A civilian was wounded as a result of artillery shelling on the town of Al-Lataminah, north of Hama, the source of the Russian forces camp in…

Summary

Published
27 March 2019
Strike Type
Artillery
Civilians reported injured
1
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

22 March 2019

Incident Code

RS3601

Location

كفريا والفوعة, Kafriya and Al Fou’a, Idlib, Syria
In a major civilian casualty incident on March 22, 2019, which several sources referred to as a "massacre", up to 28 civilians died and as many as 30 more were wounded in multiple alleged Russian airstrikes on the towns of Kafriya and Al Fou’a in Idlib. According to Baladi, Russia launched "more than 15 successive…

Summary

Published
22 March 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike
Infrastructure
Residential, Commerce (Market), Agriculture, Religious (Mosque)
Civilians reported killed
9–28
Civilians reported injured
20–30
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

20 March 2019

Incident Code

RS3600

Location

بلدات متعددة في ريف إدلب, Several towns in Idlib countryside, Idlib, Syria
Local media reported that Russian warplanes carried out strikes on a number of towns and villages in Idlib on March 20th and 21st, resulting in the death of up to five civilians. According to the Step News Agency, "Russia launched several air raids on the towns of Sheikh Mustafa and Basida  and the outskirts of…

Summary

Published
20 March 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
2–5
Civilians reported injured
2
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

20–21 March, 2019

Incident Code

RS3599

Location

الفقيع, Al-Faqee, Idlib, Syria
The children Mariam, Fatima, Abdullah and Islam al Mer'e, IDP's from Al Traimsa village in Hama, were killed alongside their father Ismail while their mother was injured, along with five others in what was believed to be a Russian airstrike on a house in al-Faqee in Idlib, according to local media. The airstrike was reportedly…

Summary

Published
21 March 2019
Strike Type
Airstrike
Infrastructure
Residential
Civilians reported killed
5–7
Civilians reported injured
6
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident