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
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Incident DatePublication Date

Incident Date

24 January 2016

Incident Code

RS0458

Location

Tall Rif`at, Aleppo, Syria
تل رفعت
Four civilians died and 12 were injured in alleged Russian airstrike on Tel Rifa’at, according local sources. The Syrian Press Centre reported that Russia carried out four raids and that a young man was killed in addition to a number of other civilians being wounded. The Violations Documentation Centre also alleged that this was a Russian…

Summary

Published
24 January 2016
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Incident Date

23 January 2016

Incident Code

RS0451

Location

Al Buliyal, Deir Ezzor, Syria
البوليل
Two civilians including one child were killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Al Buliyal, according to the Violations Documentation Centre. No reports on strikes on Al Buliyal have yet been found.  

Summary

Published
23 January 2016
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Incident Date

23 January 2016

Incident Code

RS0453

Location

Khusham, Deir Ezzor, Syria
خشام
Between 61 and 90 civilians including two women and 11 children were killed – and between 40 and 100 others injured – in airstrikes on Khusham, according to multiple sources. While three of the five sources say that Russia was responsible for the attack, there was some uncertainty from the Syrian Network for Human Rights…

Summary

Published
23 January 2016
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Incident Date

23 January 2016

Incident Code

RS0454

Location

Al-Bab, Aleppo, Syria
الباب
Six civilians including one woman and her five children were killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Al Bab, according to local sources. In a news roundup, the Shaam News Network reported that “Russian enemy planes carried out raids on Al Bab, the town of Baza’aa, the village of Qasr al Buraij, and a farm…

Summary

Published
23 January 2016
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Incident Date

23 January 2016

Incident Code

RS0455

Location

Baza'a, Aleppo, Syria
بزاعة
Three to four civilian children and one woman were killed in an airstrike on Baza’a, according to local sources – though one report says that they were killed by the regime. The Shaam News Network published a news roundup in which they said that “Russian enemy planes carried out raids on Al Bab, the town…

Summary

Published
23 January 2016
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Incident Date

23 January 2016

Incident Code

RS0456

Location

Ma'adan, Raqqa, Syria
معدان
Four civilians were killed in an airstrike on Ma’adan, according to local sources – though it is currently unclear whether Russian forces or the Assad regime were responsible for the incident. Only the Shaam News Network blamed Russia for the raid, reporting in a news roundup that “Russian enemy planes launched air raids on civilian homes in…

Summary

Published
23 January 2016
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