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

21 January 2017

Incident Code

RS1845

Location

عقيربات, Akeirbat, Hama, Syria
On January 21, 2017, local media sources reported that one child died and several other civilians were wounded in an alleged Russian airstrike on Akeirbat in the countryside in the east of the Hama region in Syria. No further details are currently available.

Summary

Published
21 January 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported killed
1
Civilians reported injured
2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

21 January 2017

Incident Code

RS1846

Location

دير الزورحي الشيخ ياسين, Al Sheikh Yasin neighbourhood, Deir Ezzor, Deir Ezzor, Syria
On January 21, 2017, two children, brothers called Mazen Siraj Al Nahri and Mohammed Siraj Nahri were reportedly killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Deir Ezzor's Al Sheikh Yasin neighbourhood, according to local media. Several other civilians were wounded in the incident. Syrian Mirror reported: "warplanes likely to be Russian struck the neighborhoods of…

Summary

Published
21 January 2017
Strike Type
Airstrike
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

20 January 2017

Incident Code

RS1844

Location

باتبو, Batbo, Aleppo, Syria
Aljazeera reported: "Activists poke of dead trapped under the rubble and huge fires caused by Russian raids after midnight [Jan 20th] on a gas station in the vicinity of the town of Battbo in the western countryside of Aleppo". Other sources made no mention of fatalities but said that three civilians were wounded in the…

Summary

Published
20 January 2017
Civilians reported killed
0–2
Civilians reported injured
3
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

19 January 2017

Incident Code

RS1843

Location

رسم العيس, Rasm al ais, Aleppo, Syria
Three civilians died in an alleged Russian airstrike on Rasm al ais, according to local media. Halab News listed three unidentified civilian fatalties - and blamed Russia for their deaths. @RFS_NORTH, @Syrianaffairs1 and LCCSY also pointed to Russia.

Summary

Published
19 January 2017
Civilians reported killed
3
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

18 January 2017

Incident Code

RS1842

Location

إدلب., Idlib city, Idlib, Syria
Three civilians were injured - and several others possibly killed - in an alleged Russian airstrike on a bus garage in Idlib, according to sources on the ground. @nabdsyria1 reported that "Russian raids targeted the Bulman Garage and the Central Bank in Idlib". According to Idlib Media Centre, "three [civilians] were wounded when Russian occupation planes…

Summary

Published
18 January 2016
Civilians reported killed
0–2
Civilians reported injured
3
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

18 January 2017

Incident Codes

TS054 RS1841

Location

الباب, Al Bab city, Aleppo, Syria
A single source, Halab News, reported eight of the nine civilians in "Russian enemy raids" in Tadef, Syria. It also named the victims. According to Al Jazeera, "The Russian and Turkish air forces, for the first time, carried out a joint operation against militants of the Islamic State Organization in Bab in countryside of, Aleppo,…

Summary

Published
18 January 2017
Civilians reported killed
9
Military Actor
Russian Military, Turkish Military
View Incident