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 Date Publication Date

Incident Date

21 March 2021

Incident Code

RS4554

Location

مشفى المغارة, Al Maghara Hospital, Al Atareb, Aleppo, Syria
Between three and eight civilians, including two children and a woman, were killed and between 11 and 22 others were injured in alleged regime or Russian strikes at Al Maghara Hospital in Al Atareb, Aleppo in the morning on March 21, 2021. Syrian Civil Defense and other sources, including @HalabTodayTV, identified artillery shelling as the…

Summary

Published
21 March 2021
Strike Type
Artillery
Infrastructure
Healthcare
Civilians reported killed
3–8
Civilians reported injured
11–22
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

14 March 2021

Incident Code

RS4553

Location

الحمران, Al Hamran, Aleppo, Syria
Two civilians were reported killed and three others injured as a result of alleged Russian or Syrian regime shelling with surface-to-surface missiles carrying cluster bombs on the village of Al-Hamran, east of Aleppo on March 14th, It coincided with similar shelling on the village of Tarhin which reportedly caused major fires in the makeshift fuel…

Summary

Published
14 March 2021
Strike Type
Artillery
Civilians reported killed
2
Civilians reported injured
2–5
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

5 March 2021

Incident Code

RS4552

Location

الحمران, Al Hamran , Aleppo, Syria
Four civilians including a Syrian Civil Defence volunteer were killed, up to 42 others injured, and one civilian went missing as a result of alleged Russian and/or Syrian regime shelling with surface to surface missiles on oil refinery stations in Tarhin and Hamran villages in Jarablus, Aleppo on March 5th. The Syrian Civil Defence referred…

Summary

Published
5 March 2021
Strike Type
Artillery
Civilians reported killed
4–5
Civilians reported injured
10–42
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

5 March 2021

Incident Code

RS4551

Location

معرة الإخوان, Maaret Al Ikhwan, Idlib, Syria
One civilian was reported injured as a result of an alleged Russian airstrike on Ma'aret Al Ikhwan in Idlib on March 5th. @jisrtv tweeted "Russian bombing raids with cluster rockets on the outskirts of the town of Maarat al-Ikhwan, northwest of the city of Maarat Misrin in the northern countryside of Idlib." Edlib Media Center…

Summary

Published
5 March 2021
Strike Type
Airstrike
Civilians reported injured
1
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

24 February 2021

Incident Code

RS4550

Location

عين الحمرا, Ain Al Hamra, Idlib, Syria
Local sources said that that six civilians from one family in Ain Al Hamra were injured when a cluster bomb from previous Russian or Syrian regime bombing that was in their house yard exploded on February 24th, 2021. The injuries varied in terms of severity. Two children and two women are among those injured. The…

Summary

Published
24 February 2021
Strike Type
Airstrike and/or Artillery
Civilians reported injured
6
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

9 February 2021

Incident Code

RS4549

Location

ترحين, Tarhin, Aleppo, Syria
Between two and five civilians were killed in alleged Russian or Syrian regime artillery strikes on the village of Tarhin, Aleppo governorate, on February 9th, 2021, according to local sources. Up to 10 civilians, including children, were injured. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported: "SOHR activists say that five people, including three unidentified, were…

Summary

Published
9 February 2021
Strike Type
Artillery
Civilians reported killed
2–5
Civilians reported injured
2–10
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident