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

14 February 2018

Incident Code

RS3021

Location

معرة حرمة, Ma’arat Harma, Idlib, Syria
Up to four civilians, including as many as three children, were killed and as many as ten more people were wounded as alleged Russian warplanes struck the town of Ma’arat Harma, Idlib, local media reported. In this event, described by many as a "massacre", residential buildings were struck and left in complete rubble with numerous…

Summary

Published
14 February 2018
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
2–4
Civilians reported injured
2–10
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

14 February 2018

Incident Code

RS3022

Location

حاس, Haas, Idlib, Syria
Alleged Russian warplanes carried out airstrikes in Haas, Idlib, killing up to three civilians, including one child, as well as wounding several more, local media reported. The aerial shelling struck the Sham Surgical Hospital, rendering it inoperable. Al-Adiya's correspondent reported that the hospital was left "completely out of service after three consecutive Russian raids targeting…

Summary

Published
14 February 2018
Strike Type
Airstrike
Infrastructure
Healthcare
Civilians reported killed
1–3
Civilians reported injured
1–2
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

13 February 2018

Incident Code

RS3020

Location

Enata, Idlib, Syria
Up to three civilians, including up to two children and one woman, were killed while as many as six civilians were wounded following alleged Russian shelling of Enata, western Idlib, local media reported. In this event, several sources reported that Russian warplanes had carried out airstrikes in Enata. The twitter account Hassan Darwisho mentioned that…

Summary

Published
13 February 2018
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
2–3
Civilians reported injured
2–6
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

12 February 2018

Incident Code

RS3019

Location

قرية قرب اريحة, Village near Ariha, Idlib, Syria
In this single-source event, Smart News Agency reported that alleged Russian warplanes had carried out aerial shelling in a village near Jericho, 15 km south of Idlib, killing one child and one woman, as well as wounding six others. Smart News Agency cited activists on the ground who believed that the warplanes had launched four…

Summary

Published
12 February 2018
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
2
Civilians reported injured
6
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

11 February 2018

Incident Code

RS3013

Location

عربين, Arbeen, Damascus, Syria
Assad or Russian-waged shelling of Arbeen, eastern Ghouta Damascus, both from the ground and air, killed at least one child and one woman, and wounded several others, local media reported. Damascus Media Center reported that 15 airstrikes and five ground-to-ground missiles had struck Arbeen since the morning, targeting residential neighbourhoods. Orient News also reported the…

Summary

Published
11 February 2018
Strike Type
Airstrike and/or Artillery
Civilians reported killed
2
Civilians reported injured
2
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

11 February 2018

Incident Code

RS3014

Location

حمورية, Hamouriya, Damascus, Syria
At least one male civilian was killed and several other non-combatants wounded following alleged Russian or Assad-waged aerial and artillery shelling Hamouriya, eastern Ghouta, Damascus, local media reported. Orient News' correspondent described how strikes believe to have been conducted by the regime hit residential areas in the countryside town, killing one person and injuring "others."…

Summary

Published
11 February 2018
Strike Type
Airstrike and/or Artillery
Civilians reported killed
1
Civilians reported injured
2
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident