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

13 November 2016

Incident Code

RS1577

Location

مخيم خان الشيخ, Khan al Sheikh, Damascus, Syria
Two men were killed and others were wounded in an airstrike and artillery raids which struck al-Huda Mosque in a refugee camp for displaced Palestinians in Khan al Sheikh, Damascus, according to sources on the ground. Reports were conflicted as to who was to blame for the raids - with some blaming Russian military, and…

Summary

Published
13 November 2016
Strike Type
Airstrike and/or Artillery
Infrastructure
Agriculture, IDP or Refugee Camp, Religious (Mosque)
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

13 November 2016

Incident Code

RS1578

Location

الأتارب, Al Atarib, Aleppo, Syria
Up to five civilians were killed, including a woman and a girl, and as many as dozens more were wounded in alleged Russian and Syrian regime raids on the Civil Defence Centre for Rehabilitation and Training, and a boys' school in Al Atarib, according to sources on the ground. It is unclear as to whether these…

Summary

Published
13 November 2016
Infrastructure
Education
Civilians reported killed
2–5
Civilians reported injured
5–24
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

12 November 2016

Incident Code

RS1574

Location

قرية القصر, Al Qasr Village, Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria
A woman and a child were killed and seven others were injured, including five children and two women, following an alleged Russian raid on a refugee camp in Al Qasr Village, Aleppo. All sources have blamed Russian warplanes for the cluster bombs which struck the refugee camp for displaced peoples in the evening of the 12th…

Summary

Published
12 November 2016
Civilians reported killed
2
Civilians reported injured
7
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

11 November 2016

Incident Code

RS1571

Location

ترملا, Tarmala, Idlib, Syria
In a single source claim, Syrian News Desk reported that Syrian regime and Russian warplanes struck and killed a civilian, wounding two others in the village of Tarmala. According to the source, both warplanes targted Idlib in the same day with more than seven missile strikes including the use of spatial cluster bombs, which led…

Summary

Published
11 November 2016
Civilians reported killed
1
Civilians reported injured
2
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

11 November 2016

Incident Code

RS1573

Location

جسر الشغور مخيم الجميلية, Al Jamilia camp, north of Jisr al Shoughour, Idlib, Syria
One woman died and as many as dozens more civilians were wounded in an airstrike by an unidentified belligerent on the Al Jamilia camp for displaced persons, north of Jisr al Shoughour, in Idlib, according to sources on the ground. Step blamed  a drone strike. The source reported: "A woman was killed and two other civilians were…

Summary

Published
11 November 2016
Civilians reported killed
1
Civilians reported injured
2–24
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

11 November 2016

Incident Code

RS1568

Location

محيط جسر الشغور, Vicinity of Jisr al-Shogour, Idlib, Syria
One woman was killed and two others were injured by an alleged bombardment by either an unidentified warplane or an unmanned drone, in a targeted attack on a camp for displaced peoples in the countryside of Jisr al-Shogour in Idlib. Sources have not identified the warplane as Russian, however, due to alleged Russian activity in…

Summary

Published
11 November 2016
Civilians reported killed
1
Civilians reported injured
2
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident