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

3 October 2016

Incident Code

RS1394

Location

شيخ سعيد, al Sheikh Said, Aleppo, Syria
Local sources reported that alleged Russia or Assad regime air or artillery strikes in Sheik Said, Aleppo, killed up to three civilians. “So_ria98” attributed the strike to Russia, while the media Zaman al-Wasl pointed to both the Assad regime and Russia. There are no other details available at this time.

Summary

Published
3 October 2016
Civilians reported killed
3
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

3 October 2016

Incident Code

RS1399

Location

بستان الباشا, Bustan al Basha, Aleppo, Syria
According to local media, alleged Russia or Assad regime airstrikes killed six civilians from one family in Aleppo's Bustan al Basha neighbourhood. Only one child from the family was said to have survived the attack. Al-Jazeera published a video, showing how the surviving child, named Shihab, was rescued from the rubble while the rest of his…

Summary

Published
3 October 2016
Civilians reported killed
6
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

3 October 2016

Incident Code

RS1400

Location

الصاخور, Al Sakhour (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria
Up to seven civilians died and dozens more were wounded in an alleged Russian airstrike on a hospital in al Sakhour, Aleppo, according to local media. Most sources claimed that six or seven civilians were killed, among these hospital staff and civil defense workers. Syria News Desk provided details from the incident, reporting that “seven…

Summary

Published
3 October 2016
Civilians reported killed
4–7
Civilians reported injured
2–12
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

2 October 2016

Incident Code

RS1391

Location

الشيخ فارس, al Sheikh Faress, Aleppo, Syria
Up to four civilians including two children died in an alleged Russian or regime airstrike on Aleppo's al Sheikh Faress neighbourhood, according to local media. Information was sparse but al-Hayat reported that “according to the Syrian Observatory, two children were killed in Sheikh Fares due to warplanes shelling” while Halab News Network reported that the…

Summary

Published
2 October 2016
Civilians reported killed
2–4
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

2 October 2016

Incident Code

RS1387

Location

Hraytan, Aleppo, Syria
Two civilians including a child died in an alleged Russian airstrike on the village of Hraitan outside of Aleppo, according to sources on the ground. The illegal use of cluster bombs was mentioned by several media, while all sources identified Russia as the culprit.    

Summary

Published
2 October 2016
Civilians reported killed
2
Civilians reported injured
0–2
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

2 October 2016

Incident Code

RS1388

Location

الأنصاري, Al Ansari (Aleppo), Aleppo, Syria
According to local media, up to four unidentified civilians died and as many as dozens more were wounded in an alleged Russian airstrike on Aleppo's al-Ansari neighbourhood. According to Maser Press, “four civilians were killed and dozens wounded due to Russian warplanes shelling in Al-Ansari”. Other sources put the death toll at between one and…

Summary

Published
2 October 2016
Civilians reported killed
1–4
Civilians reported injured
5–24
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident