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

23 November 2024

Incident Code

RS4918

Location

Ariha, Idlib, Syria
أريحا
Shortly before 9:04 PM  on Saturday, 23rd November 2024, an artillery shelling with contested responsibility allegedly perpetrated by Russian military and/or Syrian regime forces and/or Iranian military hit the city of Ariha in Idlib province, Syria, resulting in at least five civilian injuries, including four children, according to multiple local sources. The Syria Civil Defense…

Summary

Published
4 June 2025
View Incident

Incident Date

16 October 2024

Incident Code

RS4916

Location

wood saw mill, furniture manufacturing workshop on the outskirts of Idlib City, Idlib, Syria
منشرة الأخشاب وورشة تصنيع المفروشات على أطراف مدينة إدلب
Shortly before 5:30 PM on Wednesday, 16th October 2024, 11 identified civilians, including nine men and two children, were killed by an airstrike reportedly perpetrated by the Russian military on a wood saw mill and furniture manufacturing workshop located in the western outskirts of Idlib city, Syria, while workers were inside. 31 civilians were injured,…

Summary

Published
27 May 2025
View Incident

Incident Date

30 November 2024

Incident Code

RS4937

Location

Al Furqan neighbourhood in the city of Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria
حي الفرقان في مدينة حلب
In the early hours of Friday, 30 November 2024, the Al-Furqan neighbourhood in the center of the city of Aleppo, Syria, was hit by an airstrike that reportedly caused the death of one identified victim, Saleh Abdullah al-Sahou, who, however, is classified as a contested militant given the details available, and the injury of a…

Summary

Published
27 May 2025
View Incident

Incident Date

30 November 2024

Incident Code

RS4935

Location

Kansafra, Jabal al-Zawiya, south of Idlib, Idlib, Syria
كنصفرة
During the early afternoon of Saturday, 30th November 2024, two civilian men named Mohammad al-Mustafa and Mohammad Fares al-Sa’id (Abu Ahmad) were killed and a number of civilians were injured as a result of artillery shelling and/or airstrikes launched on the village of Kansafra in Jabal al-Zawiya, south of Idlib, Syria, by the Syrian regime forces…

Summary

Published
23 May 2025
View Incident

Incident Date

30 November 2024

Incident Code

RS4934

Location

Hazwan village, Aleppo, Syria
قرية حزوان
On the morning of Saturday, November 30th, 2024, three members of a family, a child and two women, were injured in an alleged Russian airstrike on Hazwan village, east of Aleppo, Syria. The Twitter/X’s account of Syrian Civil Defense (@SyriaCivilDefe) reported that the civilian casualties were “from the same family” and “were injured in a…

Summary

Published
23 May 2025
View Incident

Incident Date

29 November 2024

Incident Code

RS4932

Location

village of Frika, Idlib, Syria
قرية فريكا
On Friday 29 November 2024, an airstrike reportedly hit the village of Frika in the Idlib governorate, injuring seven civilians, six of them children, all from the same family. The attack has been attributed to the Russian military and/or Syrian regime forces. The first information about the incident came from @SyriaCivilDefe on X/Twitter at 22:59…

Summary

Published
23 May 2025
View Incident