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 DatePublication Date

Incident Date

27 November 2024

Incident Code

RS4920

Location

الأتارب, residential buildings and market at Al Atareb city, west of Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria
On the evening of Wednesday, November 27, 2024, 11 civilians, including five children and two women, most of whom were from one family, were injured when artillery and rocket shelling allegedly carried out by Syrian regime forces and/or Russian military struck Al Atareb city, west of Aleppo, Syria. The attack, which reportedly involved 300mm 9M55K…

Summary

Published
9 April 2025
Strike Type
Artillery
Infrastructure
Residential, Commerce (Market)
Civilians reported injured
11
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

26 November 2024

Incident Code

RS4919

Location

اريحا, Ariha, Idlib, Syria
Shortly before 18:23 on Tuesday, 26 November 2024, an artillery strike hit the Imam al-Nawawi Institute of Islamic and Arabic Sciences (Quran memorization institute) located in the city of Ariha (Jericho), south of Idlib, Syria. The attack reportedly killed at least three children and injured 13-15 children. Reportedly, more than 40 children were staying at…

Summary

Published
15 August 2025
Strike Type
Artillery
Infrastructure
Education (Religious School)
Civilians reported killed
3–4
Civilians reported injured
13–15
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

23 November 2024

Incident Code

RS4918

Location

مدينة بنش، أريحا، إدلب, Ariha, Idlib, Idlib, Syria
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
Strike Type
Artillery
Infrastructure
Residential
Civilians reported injured
5
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

23 November 2024

Incident Code

RS4917

Location

بنش, Binnish [Banash, Bensh], Idlib, Idlib, Syria
At least one child was killed and two other children and a woman were injured - three siblings from the al-Aboud family, along with their mother, were among the civilian victims of an artillery strike with contested responsibility allegedly perpetrated by the Russian military and/or Syrian regime forces and/or Iranian military on the residential building…

Summary

Published
4 June 2025
Strike Type
Artillery
Infrastructure
Residential (House)
Civilians reported killed
1
Civilians reported injured
3
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

16 October 2024

Incident Code

RS4915

Location

منازل المدنيين بين قريتي معربليت ومعرزاف في ريف إدلب الجنوبي, a residential house between the villages of Maarbalit and Maarzaf, Idlib, Idlib, Syria
During the morning of Wednesday, 16 October 2024, a five-year-old girl named Jana Omar Hajouz was killed and a number of civilians were reportedly injured by artillery shelling allegedly launched by the Syrian regime and/or the Russian military and/or Iranian military on a family home located between the villages of Maarbalit and Maarzaf in the…

Summary

Published
4 March 2025
Strike Type
Artillery
Infrastructure
Residential
Civilians reported killed
1
Civilians reported injured
0–2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

16 October 2024

Incident Code

RS4916

Location

منشرة الأخشاب وورشة تصنيع المفروشات على أطراف مدينة إدلب, wood saw mill, furniture manufacturing workshop on the outskirts of Idlib City, Idlib, Syria
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
Strike Type
Airstrike
Infrastructure
Warehouse (Consumer Goods)
Civilians reported killed
11
Civilians reported injured
31
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident