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

17 December 2015

Incident Code

RS0285

Location

أعزاز‎, A`zaz, Aleppo, Syria
Eight to nine civilians including two children and five women were killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Azaz, according to multiple sources. The White Helmets, Al Jazeera, the Shaam News Network and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that Russia carried out the raid, which killed nine non-combatants. SOHR said this included a child, a girl…

Summary

Published
17 December 2015
Civilians reported killed
8–9
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

17 December 2015

Incident Code

RS0286

Location

الباب, Al Bab, Aleppo, Syria
Between four and nine civilians were reported killed and 2 to 25 injured in an airstrike on Al Bab, according to multiple sources – though it is unclear whether regime shelling or Russian warplanes were responsible for the attacks. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that four non-combatants were killed and several others injured when warplanes…

Summary

Published
17 December 2015
Civilians reported killed
4–9
Civilians reported injured
2–25
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

17 December 2015

Incident Code

RS0284

Location

الرقة‎, Ar Raqqah, Raqqa, Syria
21 civilians were killed including two women and four children and 11 wounded in airstrikes on residential neighbourhoods in the centre and north and south of the city of Raqqa, according to multiple sources –  though it is unclear whether regime or Russian warplanes or shelling by the Assad regime were responsible for the casualties. According to…

Summary

Published
17 December 2015
Civilians reported killed
21
Civilians reported injured
11
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

16 December 2015

Incident Code

RS0282

Location

الباب, Al-Bab, Aleppo, Syria
Eight people were reported killed and 40 wounded in three alleged Russian night time airstrikes on Al Bab according to multiple sources. Though the ISIL-lnked news agency Al A’maq claimed the deaths were “as a result of the Russian strikes” VDC blamed the fatalities on “the regime air forces’ shelling with explosive barrels on a…

Summary

Published
16 December 2015
Civilians reported killed
8
Civilians reported injured
40
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

16 December 2015

Incident Code

RS0283

Location

الناجية, Najieh, Idlib, Syria
One civilian male named as Shadi Samir Bakkour was reported killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Najieh, with two or more others injured. The local civil defence team tweeted “One martyr, several injured from Russian airstrikes with vacuum bombs on Najiah village in Jisr el Shoughour countryside.”  

Summary

Published
16 December 2015
Civilians reported killed
1
Civilians reported injured
2
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

15 December 2015

Incident Code

RS0277

Location

إدلب, Idlib, Idlib, Syria
One adult male civilian, named as Khaled Iyad al-Khaled, was killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Idlib city, according to the Violations Documentation Centre and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. No further details are currently available.  

Summary

Published
15 December 2015
Civilians reported killed
1
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident