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 4,843 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.
4,843 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.
3,027 seperate alleged incidents
Discounted
104 – 117
Civilian deaths were Discounted by Airwars after assessment.
15 seperate alleged incidents
4809 incidents
Order results by:
Incident Date Publication Date

Incident Date

15 October 2016

Incident Code

RS1460

Location

Hoola, Homs, Syria
كفرلاها
According to the Smart News Agency, “the head of the Hula sector of the civil defence was injured on Saturday [Oct 15th] as a result of an airstrike by regime planes targeting the city of Hula in rural Homs.” According to Homs Media Centre, this raid struck a school. They published a video showing damage…

Summary

Published
15 October 2016
View Incident

Incident Date

15 October 2016

Incident Code

RS1463

Location

Ltamenah, Hama, Syria
اللطامنة
Five or six civilians civilians including a 20-day-old girl and a boy aged six months died and dozens more were wounded in an airstrike and/or artillery strike on a medical centre in Al Latamna, according to sources on the ground. The majority of reports blamed Russia, though two pointed to the Assad regime. Victims reportedly…

Summary

Published
15 October 2016
View Incident

Incident Date

14 October 2016

Incident Code

RS1459

Location

Tareeq al-Bab (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria
حي طريق الباب
Two or three civilians died and several more were wounded in an alleged Russian airstrike on Aleppo’s Tareeq al Bab neighbourhood, according to sources on the ground. LCCSY put the death toll at two, though the Step News Agency and the Syrian Network for Human Rights were among the majority of sources saying that at…

Summary

Published
14 October 2016
View Incident

Incident Date

14 October 2016

Incident Code

RS1458

Location

Al Qaterji (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria
القاطرجي
Up to five civilians died and up to 12 more were wounded in an airstrike on Aleppo’s Al Qaterji neighbourhood, according to local sources. Multiple reports said that a bakery was struck. The majority of sources attributed the deaths to Russia, though one report also said that the regime had carried out strike on Aleppo…

Summary

Published
14 October 2016
View Incident

Incident Date

13 October 2016

Incident Code

RS1455

Location

al Sheikh Kudar, Aleppo, Syria
الشيخ خضر
In what most sources said was a regime artillery strike, one female child died in Aleppo’s Al Sheikh Khader neighbourhood. Syrian Press Center and Micro Syria, Jisrtv and Masar Press reported: “A female child was killed and others wounded due to artillery shelling in Sheikh Khader.” Syria News Desk was the only source who blamed…

Summary

Published
13 October 2016
View Incident

Incident Date

13 October 2016

Incident Code

RS1457

Location

Al Sakhour (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria
الصاخور
Three or four civilians including a woman and a child died and up to seven more were injured in an alleged Russian or regime air or artillery strike on Aleppo’s Al Sakhour neighbourhood, according to local media. Syrian Press Centre and Syrian Observatory for Human Rights both reported that “Russian warplanes targeted the medical centre in…

Summary

Published
13 October 2016
View Incident