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 DatePublication Date

Incident Date

23 October 2015

Incident Code

RS0069

Location

Barkoum, Aleppo, Syria
برقوم
Six or more civilians were reported killed in an airstrike at Barkoum. The Violations Documentation Center (which in English said the attack was by unidentified warplanes, and in Arabic attributed it to the Assad regime) later named the dead. However other sources described the attack as the work of the Russian airforce.  

Summary

Published
23 October 2015
View Incident

Incident Date

23 October 2015

Incident Code

RS0070

Location

Az Zarbah, Aleppo, Syria
الزربة
One civilian named as Hamad Ahmad Al Rajab was reported killed and others injured in an alleged Russian airstrike on Zerbeih, in southern rural Aleppo. However local rebels also said that the town came under attack from “fierce artillery and rocket shelling” by Assad regime ground forces.  

Summary

Published
23 October 2015
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Incident Date

23 October 2015

Incident Code

RS0074

Location

Hayyan, Aleppo, Syria
حيان
The Shaam News Network and others alleged that Russian aircraft had dropped cluster munitions (pictured below) in northern Aleppo governorate. Two civilians were killed, named as Hussein Adel Osso and Mohamad Yehya Al Seraj. Five others were injured in the evening strike, including a member of the local civil defence team.  

Summary

Published
23 October 2015
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Incident Date

22 October 2015

Incident Code

RS0067

Location

Gharnata, Homs, Syria
غرناطة
A single source, the Syrian Observatory, reported a man dying from injuries sustained earlier in the day following an alleged Russian airstrike on Gharnata. No other details are presently available.  

Summary

Published
22 October 2015
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Incident Date

22 October 2015

Incident Code

RS0068

Location

Ar Raqqah, Raqqa, Syria
الرقة‎
A wave of night time airstrikes hit a number of civilian objects in the city according to reports, killing seven to eight non-combatants. At least 11 and as many as 40 Daesh militants were also reported killed. According to the Syrian Observatory, “13 airstrikes targeted places near the Emergency Branch, the Hospitality Palace, Hawd al-Forat…

Summary

Published
22 October 2015
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Incident Date

21 October 2015

Incident Code

RS0065

Location

Rasim al Hammam, Hama, Syria
رسم حمام
Three civilians – a woman and two girls – were reported killed and ‘many wounded’ after an alleged Russian airstrike on a former school in which internally displaced civilians were said to be sheltering.  

Summary

Published
21 October 2015
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