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 Date Publication Date

Incident Date

1 January 2024

Incident Code

RS4885

Location

دارة عزة, Darat Azza and the villages of Kabashin and Burj Haidar, Aleppo, Syria
Shortly before 2:14 PM on Monday, January 1st, 2024, artillery and missile shelling allegedly launched by the Syrian regime and/or Russian forces and/or Iranian forces killed at least six identified civilians and injured at least 11 civilians, including an infant and three other children, in the city of Darat Azza and the villages of Kabashin…

Summary

Published
30 December 2024
Strike Type
Airstrike and/or Artillery
Infrastructure
Residential, Commerce (Bakery, Market), Transportation (Road), Religious (Mosque)
Civilians reported killed
6
Civilians reported injured
11
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

28 November 2023

Incident Code

RS4868

Location

كتيان, Kitian, Idlib, Idlib, Syria
On Tuesday, November 28th, 2023, four members of the same family: a father, a mother and their two children, were injured as a result of an alleged artillery strike with guided missiles by the Syrian regime and/or the Russian military and/or the Iranian military on the Katyan-Zardana road, north of Idlib, Syria. Conflicting information was…

Summary

Published
13 December 2024
Strike Type
Artillery
Infrastructure
Agriculture (Livestock)
Civilians reported killed
0–6
Civilians reported injured
4
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Russian Military, Iranian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

27 July 2024

Incident Code

RS4902

Location

أرض زراعية  على أطراف بلدة بداما في ريف إدلب الغربي, agricultural land on the outskirts of the town of Badama (Bdama), west of Idlib, Idlib, Syria
An explosion of a cluster bomb remnant reportedly left from previous shelling by the Russian military and/or the Syrian regime forces and/or the Nusayri regime militias affiliated with the Syrian regime resulted in the killing of a young civilian man on the agricultural land in the outskirts of Badama (Bdama) town located in the western…

Summary

Published
27 July 2024
Strike Type
Airstrike and/or Artillery
Infrastructure
Agriculture
Civilians reported killed
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Planted explosives and unexploded ordnance (UXO)
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

3 July 2024

Incident Code

RS4901

Location

سرمين, Sarmin, Idlib, Syria
Six identified civilians, including two children and four women of which two were mother and daughter, were injured and several civilians were reportedly killed in an alleged artillery shelling with contested responsibility perpetrated by the Syrian regime military forces and/or Russian military and/or Iranian military in the city of Sarmin, east of Idlib, Syria, in…

Summary

Published
3 July 2024
Strike Type
Artillery
Civilians reported killed
2
Civilians reported injured
6
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Russian Military, Iranian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

5 May 2024

Incident Code

RS4900

Location

الأبزمو, Al Abzimo, Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria
On the evening of Saturday, May 5th, 2024, artillery shelling allegedly conducted by Syrian regime forces and/or Russian forces and/or Iranian forces hit a residential neighborhood in the town of Abzimo, in the western countryside of Aleppo, killing a child and injuring his mother. Twelve-year-old Qais Haj Shaban and his mother were transported to a…

Summary

Published
5 May 2024
Strike Type
Artillery
Infrastructure
Residential
Civilians reported killed
1
Civilians reported injured
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

27 April 2024

Incident Code

RS4898

Location

الأتارب, eastern outskirts of Al Atarib [Atareb], western countryside of Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria
Shortly before 8:23 AM on Saturday, 27 April 2024 a young man, identified as Abdullah Rammah, was seriously injured while working on his land, as a result of an alleged artillery or drone attack by the Syrian regime and/or the Iranian military and/or the Russian military on the eastern outskirts of the city of Atareb,…

Summary

Published
27 April 2024
Strike Type
Airstrike (Drone Strike), Artillery
Infrastructure
Agriculture
Civilians reported injured
1–2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Russian Military, Iranian Military
View Incident