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

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

29 November 2024

Incident Code

RS4930

Location

سرجة, village of Sarja, southern Idlib countryside, Idlib, Syria
On Friday, 29 November 2024, an airstrike hit the village of Sarja in the Idlib governorate of Syria. The attack, attributed to Russian military and/or Syrian regime forces, reportedly injured four civilians, including a child. Initial information about the strike was published on X/Twitter by @SyriaCivilDefe, with an initial toll of four civilians injured, including…

Summary

Published
3 April 2025
Strike Type
Airstrike
Infrastructure
Residential
Civilians reported injured
4
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

28 November 2024

Incident Code

RS4926

Location

فليون, Falyoun, Idlib, Idlib, Syria
Shortly before 3:43 PM on Thursday, November 28th, 2024, missile strikes carrying cluster bombs with contested responsibility allegedly perpetrated by the Syrian regime and/or Russian military and/or Iranian-backed militant groups in the town of Falyoun, in the southern Idlib countryside, Syria, injured at least one civilian, a child. Al Moherer in a post via Facebook…

Summary

Published
3 April 2025
Strike Type
Artillery
Civilians reported injured
1–2
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

28 November 2024

Incident Code

RS4925

Location

دارة عزة, main market, Sheikh Mohammad mosque and residential houses in Daret Izza, Aleppo, Syria
Shortly before 8:56 AM on Thursday, 28 November 2024, four civilian men were killed and 21 civilians, among them children, were injured as a result of the series of airstrikes with the reported use of cluster and vacuum munitions allegedly launched by the Russian military and/or Syrian regime forces on the main market, a mosque…

Summary

Published
3 April 2025
Strike Type
Airstrike
Infrastructure
Commerce (Market), Religious (Mosque), Residential
Civilians reported killed
4
Civilians reported injured
21
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

27 November 2024

Incident Code

RS4923

Location

مخيم القرى (وادي عباس) بالقرب من بابسقا وباب الهوى, Al-Qura camp (Wadi Abbas) near Babsqa and Bab al-Hawa, Idlib, Idlib, Syria
On Wednesday, November 27th, 2024, by missile strikes carrying cluster bombs with contested responsibility allegedly perpetrated by the Syrian regime forces and/or the Russian military, a young boy was killed and between three and five civilians, including at least two children and a woman, were injured in Al-Qura camp (Wadi Abbas) near Babsqa and Bab…

Summary

Published
28 March 2025
Strike Type
Artillery
Infrastructure
IDP or Refugee Camp, Vehicle (Car)
Civilians reported killed
1
Civilians reported injured
3–5
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident

Incident Date

27 November 2024

Incident Code

RS4922

Location

سَرْمِين, Sarmin, Idlib, Syria
On Wednesday, 27 November 2024, a 54-year-old woman named Rose Ismail al-Ali was seriously injured when an artillery shell struck an olive press in the city of Sarmin, in the Idlib Governorate, and she died due to her wounds the day after, Thursday, 28 November 2024. In the same attack, another woman was also reportedly injured.…

Summary

Published
28 March 2025
Strike Type
Artillery
Infrastructure
Agriculture (Equipment / Machinery)
Civilians reported killed
1
Civilians reported injured
1
Causes of Death / Injury
Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
Military Actor
Russian Military
View Incident