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

16 November 2023

Incident Code

RS4862

Location

Afes - Taftanaz road, eastern countryside of Idlib, Idlib, Syria
On the morning of Thursday, November 16th, 2023, a missile strike with contested responsibility allegedly perpetrated by Syrian regime forces and/or Russian military and/or Iranian military reportedly occurred along the Afes-Taftanaz road in the eastern countryside of Idlib, Syria, killing a young man Joumaa Abu Zohari who was reportedly operating a heavy engineering vehicle (Baker)…

Summary

Published
16 November 2023
Strike Type
Airstrike and/or Artillery
Civilians reported killed
1
Civilians reported injured
2
Military actors reported killed
2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

14 November 2023

Incident Code

RS4861

Location

أفس, residential neighbourhoods in Afes, Idlib, Idlib, Syria
On the evening of Tuesday, November 14, 2023, an artillery strike with contested responsibility allegedly perpetrated by Syrian regime forces or the Russian military on residential neighbourhoods in the village of Afes in Idlib, Syria, injured a woman and a girl. The names and further details about the civilians injured in the strike and the…

Summary

Published
14 November 2023
Strike Type
Artillery
Civilians reported injured
2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

7 November 2023

Incident Code

RS4860

Location

تفتناز, Taftanaz, east of Idlib, Syria, Idlib, Syria
Shortly before 12:20 PM on Tuesday, 7th November 2023, a civilian man was killed and five civilians, including at least two children, were injured, as a result of the alleged missile strikes perpetrated by the Syrian regime forces and/or the Russian military and/or Iranian military that hit a civilian car and civilian homes in the…

Summary

Published
7 November 2023
Strike Type
Airstrike and/or Artillery
Infrastructure
Residential
Civilians reported killed
1
Civilians reported injured
5
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Russian Military, Iranian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

2 November 2023

Incident Code

RS4859

Location

كفرتعال, Kafar Taal, west of Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria
During the morning of Thursday, November 2nd, 2023, an alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime artillery shelling on agricultural lands in the village of Kafar Taal, west of Aleppo, Syria, killed a woman and injured at least two civilians, including a woman and 70-year-old man, while they were harvesting olives. Several sources, including the Syrian Civil…

Summary

Published
2 November 2023
Strike Type
Artillery
Infrastructure
Agriculture
Civilians reported killed
1
Civilians reported injured
2–3
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

29 October 2023

Incident Code

RS4857

Location

كنصفرة, Kansafra, Idlib, Syria
Shortly before 8:55 AM on Sunday, October 29, 2023, a 17-year-old-girl was injured by artillery shelling with contested responsibility allegedly perpetrated by Syrian regime forces and/or Russian military and/or Iranian military while she was harvesting olives with her family on the outskirts of Kansafra, in the southern countryside of Idlib, Syria. Twitter/X user @Ahmad_1alshble was…

Summary

Published
29 October 2023
Strike Type
Artillery
Infrastructure
Agriculture
Civilians reported injured
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Russian Military, Iranian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

29 October 2023

Incident Code

RS4858

Location

طريق نبش - تفتناز, Binnish -Taftanaz road, east countryside of Idlib, Idlib, Syria
Shortly before 9:51 AM on Monday, October 30, 2023, at least one civilian man was killed and two others were injured in a double strike with two guided missiles reportedly perpetrated by the Syrian regime forces and/or the Russian and/or Iranian military that hit a civilian car with medical personnel on the Binnish-Taftanaz road in…

Summary

Published
29 October 2023
Strike Type
Airstrike and/or Artillery
Civilians reported killed
1
Civilians reported injured
2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident