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
Order results by:
Incident DatePublication Date

Incident Date

6 November 2019

Incident Code

RS4144

Location

Ma’aret Al Nu’man, Idlib, Syria
معرة النعمان
One civilian was killed and three others were wounded after an unexploded cluster bomb of an alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrike was detonated in Ma’aret Al Nu’man, Idlib governorate, on November 6th, 2019. Justice Organization identified the victim as Omar Al Bassas. A tweet from @NagiNajjar reported "the death of the young man, “Omar…

Summary

Published
6 November 2019
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Incident Date

5 November 2019

Incident Code

RS4137

Location

Dar al Kabira, Idlib, Syria
الدار الكبيرة
Three children (brothers), named as Israa (6 years old), Bara’a (1.5 years old), and Hakem Khaled Adnan al Saleh (4 years old), died and their mother and others were wounded in an alleged Russian or regime airstrike on their home in Dar al Kabira at dawn on November 5, 2019, according to local media. The…

Summary

Published
5 November 2019
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Incident Date

4 November 2019

Incident Code

RS4134

Location

Jisr al-Shughour, Idlib, Syria
جسر الشغور,
Three civilians, reportedly from the same family, died and up to seven more including three named members of the civil defence were wounded in a series of alleged Russian and regime strikes on multiple locations - including a school, health centre, and vegetable market - in Jisr al-Shughour. According to Local Coordination Committees Syria, there…

Summary

Published
4 November 2019
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Incident Date

4 November 2019

Incident Code

RS4135

Location

Al Kafeer, Idlib, Syria
قرية الكفير
At least three civilians, reportedly from the same family, died and up to 10 more were wounded in an alleged regime or Russian airstrike on Al Kafeer village, local media said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights "documented the death of three civilians of the same family including a women, in addition to the injury…

Summary

Published
4 November 2019
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Incident Date

4 November 2019

Incident Code

RS4136

Location

Al Janoudia, Idlib, Syria
الجانودية,
Two civilians, including a child, were wounded in an alleged Russian airstrike on Al Janoudia, according to local media. The White Helmets reported: "Two civilians were injured as a result of an air strike by warplanes, which targeted the gathering of civilian houses in al-Janoudia town north of Jisr al-Shughour in Idlib countryside on Monday…

Summary

Published
4 November 2019
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Incident Date

4 November 2019

Incident Code

RS4132

Location

Ain Al Asafir, Idlib, Syria
عين العصافير,
The Local Coordination Committees of Syria reported "three civilians were martyred and 4 others were injured, including women and children, on Monday morning, as a result of four airstrikes by Russian occupation warplanes targeting a school in the city of Jisr Al-Shughour and the houses of civilians in the villages of Kfir, Ein Al-Asafir and…

Summary

Published
4 November 2019
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