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 Date Publication Date

Incident Date

25 September 2023

Incident Code

RS4813

Location

city of Jisr Al Shughour, western Idlib, Idlib, Syria
جسر الشغور
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
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Incident Date

24 September 2023

Incident Code

RS4812

Location

Kansafra, Idlib, Syria
كنصفرة
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
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Incident Date

23 September 2023

Incident Code

RS4811

Location

Sarmin, Idlib, Syria
سرمين
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
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Incident Date

23 September 2023

Incident Code

RS4810

Location

Outskirts of Sarmin, Idlib, Syria
سرمين
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
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Incident Date

19 September 2023

Incident Code

RS4809

Location

Al Fatira, Idlib, Syria
الفطيرة
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
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Incident Date

13 September 2023

Incident Code

RS4808

Location

Afes, Idlib, Syria
آفس
A woman was left injured in Afes, Idlib by artillery shelling allegedly fired by the Syrian regime and/or Russian military on September 13, 2023. The woman had fainted after being struck by shrapnel, according to Shaam News — who labeled the Syrian regime as the perpetrator. Some other sources, including Al Mohrar, said the shelling…

Summary

Published
13 September 2023
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