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

30 May 2023

Incident Code

RS4770

Location

Bzabor, Idlib, Syria
بزابور
A 15 year old boy was injured by alleged Russian airstrikes on the village of Bzabor in Idlib on May 30, 2023. Local sources from the countryside of Idlib governorate told Zaman Al Wasl that 15-year-old Muhammad Malik Ahmed Haj Musa was wounded by Russian airstrikes on Bzabor village. The Syrian Civil Defense (@SyriaCivilDefe) tweeted…

Summary

Published
30 May 2023
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Incident Date

29 May 2023

Incident Code

RS4769

Location

Maaret al-Nassan, Idlib, Syria
معارة النعسان
On 29th May 2023 three civilians, a man and his two children, were injured by machine gun fire and/or artillery shelling in the town of Maaret al-Nassan, east of Idlib.  The victims were treated locally before being sent to hospital. Sources were conflicted as to whether the Syrian regime and/or Russian forces were responsible. Several…

Summary

Published
29 May 2023
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Incident Date

24 May 2023

Incident Code

RS4768

Location

between the towns of Kansafra and Al-Fatira, Idlib, Syria
A young man was reportedly injured by shrapnel from machine guns attributed to both Russian forces and the Syrian regime on May 24th 2023. The incident occured on agricultural land between the town of Kansafra and Al-Fatirah, in the southern countryside of Idlib. Reports from the Syrian Civil Defence, Halab Today TV and Twitter user…

Summary

Published
24 May 2023
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Incident Date

15 May 2023

Incident Code

RS4767

Location

Kafr Aweed, Idlib, Syria
كفرعويد
One man, identified by sources as Suleiman Muhammad al-Saleem, was killed on May 15th 2023 after artillery shelling attributed to both the Syrian regime and Russian forces hit the village of Kafr Aweed in the southern countryside of Idlib according to local media outlets and the Syrian Civil Defence. Initial reports from the Syrian Civil…

Summary

Published
15 May 2023
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Incident Date

25 April 2023

Incident Code

RS4766

Location

Ma’arablit, Idlib, Syria
معربليت
A young woman was killed and four other civilians, including two children and a woman, were injured by alleged Syrian regime and/or Russian artillery shelling of Ma’arablit on April 25, 2023. Afrin Post reported that Noura Abdul Hamid Al-Ahmad, twenty years old, was killed by artillery strikes in Ma’arablit, and her family members, the infant Lyan…

Summary

Published
25 April 2023
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Incident Date

23 April 2023

Incident Code

RS4765

Location

Badama, Idlib, Syria
بداما
On Sunday 23rd April 2023, during the daytime, a woman and her two children were injured by a detonator contained in the remnants of a bomb in Badama, a town in northwest Syria. It is unclear who was responsible for the explosive as there are thousands of unexploded ordnance scattered across Syria from the Syrian…

Summary

Published
23 April 2023
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