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

4,338 – 6,384

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 4,842 separate alleged incidents.

1,145 – 1,394
children likely killed
632 – 766
women likely killed
6,544
likely injured
3,435
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
15,282 – 24,392
Locally reported civilian deaths from Russian Military actions in Syria.
4,842 seperate alleged incidents
Confirmed or Fair
4,338 – 6,384
Civilian deaths for which the reporting was assessed by Airwars as Fair, or have been Confirmed by Russian Military
1,344 seperate alleged incidents
Weak
727 – 848
Civilian deaths for which the reporting was assessed by Airwars as Weak.
457 seperate alleged incidents
Contested
10,113 – 17,043
Civilian deaths for which the reporting is assessed by Airwars as Contested.
3,026 seperate alleged incidents
Discounted
104 – 117
Civilian deaths were Discounted by Airwars after assessment.
15 seperate alleged incidents
4808 incidents
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Incident Date Publication Date

Incident Date

23 November 2019

Incident Code

RS4194

Location

al-Safi village, Manbij, Aleppo, Syria
قرية الصافي
Three women from the same family and a child were reported killed, and a man and his son injured when their vehicle was hit by a Russian armored military vehicle in Al Safi village in Manbej, Aleppo governorate in Syria, on November 23rd 2019 according to local sources. Local sources stated that the accident occured…

Summary

Published
23 November 2019
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Incident Date

23 November 2019

Incident Code

RS4196

Location

al-Sheikh Bahr village, Syria
قرية الشيخ بحر
Three civilians were reported injured in alleged Russian airstrikes on Al Sheikh Bahr village in Idlib, Syria on November 23rd, 2019 according to local sources. IdlibPlus reported that "three people were also injured in the village of Sheikh Al- Bahr west of Idlib as a result of being targeted by four raids by Russian aircraft"…

Summary

Published
23 November 2019
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Incident Date

23 November 2019

Incident Code

RS4195

Location

Kafrnabl, Idlib, Syria
كفرنبل
Up to three civilians were reported killed and between three and ten others including at least one woman and one child were injured in an alleged Russian airstrike on Kafar Nubul in Idlib, Syria on November 23rd 2019, according to local sources. While SMART Agency, Syrian Civil Defense (SCD), IdlibPlus and Macro Media Center (MMC)…

Summary

Published
23 November 2019
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Incident Date

22 November 2019

Incident Code

RS4193

Location

Fatira village, Idlib, Syria
Two civilians were reported killed and others injured in an alleged Russian airstrike on Al Fatira village in Idlib, Syria, on November 22nd 2019 at approximately 7:45 local time, according to local sources. The two deaths were identified as Abdullah Ibrahim Abu Alkhish and Kinan Abdeljoud Khalouf on multiple sources on Twitter and Facebook. The Step…

Summary

Published
22 November 2019
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Incident Date

22 November 2019

Incident Code

RS4192

Location

Mareyan, Idlib, Syria
مرعيان
A child and his father were reported killed, while his mother injured in an alleged Russian forces airstrike on Mareyan in Eastern Idlib, Syria on November 22nd, 2019. The Syrian Human Rights Committee identified the names the two victims as Basel Hazarini and Talha Basel Hazarini (his son). The wife of Basel and mother of…

Summary

Published
22 November 2019
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Incident Date

21 November 2019

Incident Code

RS4191

Location

Maarat Numan, Idlib, Syria
معرة النعمان
Three civilians, including two children, were reported killed and a number of others were wounded by a mortar or a cluster bomb from the remnants of previous strikes by Russian Forces or the Syrian regime forces on Ma'arat Al Numan in Idlib, on November 21st, 2019, according to local sources. A tweet from @oulaalassaad named three…

Summary

Published
21 November 2019
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