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

3 October 2023

Incident Code

RS4814

Location

سرمين, Outskirts of Sarmin, Idlib, Syria
On October 3rd, 2023, a man and a woman, Mohammed Sadek and Asoum Nahbhan were injured by alleged Syrian regime and/or Russian artillery shelling in the outskirts of Sarmin in the eastern countryside of Idlib. Asoum Nahbahn was reportedly moderately injured in the flank while Mohammed Sadek’s injury was described as slight. The belligerent’s identity is…

Summary

Published
3 October 2023
Strike Type
Artillery
Infrastructure
Education, Agriculture
Civilians reported injured
2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

25 September 2023

Incident Code

RS4813

Location

جسر الشغور, city of Jisr Al Shughour, western Idlib, Idlib, Syria
On Monday evening, 25 September 2023, between seven and 10 civilians, including two children and up to four women (one of whom was pregnant), were injured in missile strikes and artillery shelling allegedly by Syrian regime forces and/or Russian forces and/or Iranian forces on residential neighborhoods, the popular market and near the mosque in the…

Summary

Published
25 September 2023
Strike Type
Airstrike and/or Artillery
Infrastructure
Water, Commerce (Market)
Civilians reported injured
7–10
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

24 September 2023

Incident Code

RS4812

Location

كنصفرة, Kansafra, Idlib, Syria
At least one civilian was seriously injured in the village of Kansafra as a result of artillery shelling allegedly by the Russian military and/or Syrian regime forces on September 24, 2023. According to the Syrian Civil Defense, a farmer was seriously injured by the strikes while he was working in the fig harvest. Additionally, the…

Summary

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

Incident Date

23 September 2023

Incident Code

RS4810

Location

سرمين, Outskirts of Sarmin, Idlib, Syria
During the evening of September 23, 2023, a missile strike killed two civilians (one elderly man and one woman) and injured two others (a child in critical condition and a man) in a displacement camp in the outskirts of Sarmin, east of the city of Idlib in northwest Syria. In a Facebook post by the…

Summary

Published
23 September 2023
Strike Type
Airstrike and/or Artillery
Infrastructure
IDP or Refugee Camp
Civilians reported killed
2
Civilians reported injured
2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

23 September 2023

Incident Code

RS4811

Location

سرمين, Sarmin, Idlib, Syria
On the night of September 23, 2023, in Sarmin, Idlib, an incident with contested responsibility—reportedly either by Syrian regime forces or the Russian military—struck an agricultural area, injuring a civilian man, which was confirmed by multiple sources including the White Helmets organization. The civilian injured was reportedly a farmer who was picking figs in a…

Summary

Published
23 September 2023
Strike Type
Airstrike and/or Artillery
Infrastructure
Agriculture
Civilians reported injured
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

19 September 2023

Incident Code

RS4809

Location

الفطيرة, Al Fatira, Idlib, Syria
At least two farmers were injured during the afternoon of September 19, 2023, by an artillery strike allegedly from the Syrian regime and/or Russian forces in the town of al-Fatira, in the south of Idlib. The @SyriaCivilDefe reported that the farmers were injured while picking figs and received treatment in a hospital in the city…

Summary

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