Russian Armed Forces casualties in Syria


The Russian military intervention in the Syrian Civil War started on 30 September 2015, with 4,000 Russian military personnel being stationed in Syria. The Russian forces also consisted of 25 strategic bombers, 20 tactical bombers, 12 attack bombers, 8 fighter aircraft, 16 attack helicopters and various other aircraft.
As of 23 February 2019, there have been 116 officially confirmed Russian Armed Forces fatalities in the war. Also, two investigative groups, Fontanka and the Moscow-based Conflict Intelligence Team, reported a conservative estimate of at least 73–101 private military contractors being killed between October 2015 and mid-December 2017, 40–60 of whom died during the first several months of 2017, according to Fontanka. The founder of CIT stated the PMCs' death toll was at least 100–200, while another CIT blogger said at least 150 were killed and more than 900 were wounded. They belonged to the Russian company "Wagner". One more PMC was killed in late December 2017. In addition, at least 23 fighters have been killed that were possibly regular military, but their status has not been officially confirmed.
On 4 January, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that 264 Russian servicemen and PMC were killed in Syria during the Civil War.

List of fatalities

Confirmed

The following is a list of the fatal casualties among the regular Russian Armed Forces:
Date of deathNameRankAgeBranchCause of deathLocation of death
1 October 2015Edward SokurovSergeant29346th Special Purpose Brigade, Spetsnaz GRUHostile fireN/A
24 October 2015Vadim KostenkoPrivate19Russian Air ForceNon-hostile Khmeimim airbase, Latakia Governorate
19 November 2015Maxim SorochenkoCaptain31Special Operations Forces Hostile fireN/A
19 November 2015Fyodor ZhuravlyovCaptain27Special Operations Forces Hostile fireN/A
24 November 2015Lieutenant colonel45Russian Air ForceHostile fire Syria–Turkey border, Latakia Governorate
24 November 2015Alexander PozynichSeaman29Russian MarinesHostile fire Syria–Turkey border, Latakia Governorate
1 February 2016Ivan CheremisinLieutenant colonelN/ASpecial Operations Forces Hostile fire Latakia Governorate
17 March 2016Alexander ProkhorenkoSenior lieutenant25Special Operations Forces Hostile fire Palmyra, Homs Governorate
12 April 2016Andrey OkladnikovCommanderN/ARussian Air ForceNon-hostile Homs, Homs Governorate
12 April 2016Viktor PankovN/AN/ARussian Air ForceNon-hostile Homs, Homs Governorate
7 May 2016Anton YeryginSergeant31Hostile fire Palmyra, Homs Governorate
24 May 2016Asker BizhoevN/AN/AN/AHostile fire Palmyra, Homs Governorate
3 June 2016Captain359th Motorized Rifle Brigade, 3rd Motor Rifle DivisionHostile firePalmyra, Homs Governorate
7 June 2016Mikhail ShirokopoyasJunior sergeant3535th ArmyHostile fire Moscow, Russia
9 June 2016Oleg ArhireevCaptain28Special Operations Forces Hostile fire N/A
14 June 2016Sergei PechalnovSenior lieutenant28Special Operations Forces Hostile fire Moscow, Russia
16 June 2016Andrey TimoshenkovSergeantN/ARussian MarinesHostile fire Khmeimim airbase, Latakia Governorate
8 July 2016Evgeny DolginLieutenant24Russian Air ForceHostile fire Palmyra, Homs Governorate
8 July 2016Colonel50/51Russian Air ForceHostile fire Palmyra, Homs Governorate
22 July 2016Nikita ShevchenkoPrivateN/AN/AHostile fire Aleppo Governorate
1 August 2016Roman PavlovCaptain3392nd Helicopter Squadron, Russian Air ForceHostile fire Idlib Governorate
1 August 2016Oleg ShelamovSenior lieutenant2992nd Helicopter Squadron, Russian Air ForceHostile fire Idlib Governorate
1 August 2016Pavel ShorohovCaptain4192nd Helicopter Squadron, Russian Air ForceHostile fire Idlib Governorate
1 August 2016N/AN/AN/ARussian Center for ReconciliationHostile fire Idlib Governorate
1 August 2016N/AN/AN/ARussian Center for ReconciliationHostile fire Idlib Governorate
7 September 2016Evgeny ZakharchenkovJunior sergeant2814th Special Purpose Brigade, Spetsnaz GRUHostile fireN/A
22 September 2016Igor ChernyshovMajor32Spetsgruppa "A", Federal Security ServiceHostile fireOfficially listed as killed in Dagestan, Russia
5 December 2016Nadezhda DurachenkoSergeant40 Ministry of Defence's special medical unitHostile fire Aleppo, Aleppo Governorate
5 December 2016Galina MikhaylovaSergeant40 Ministry of Defence's special medical unitHostile fire Aleppo, Aleppo Governorate
7 December 2016ColonelN/A5th Guards Tank Brigade, 36th ArmyHostile fire Aleppo, Aleppo Governorate
16 February 2017Pavel KozachenkovMajor31Russian MarinesHostile fire Tiyas Military Airbase, Homs Governorate
16 February 2017Vadim MagamurovSenior lieutenant31Main Intelligence Directorate Hostile fire Tiyas Military Airbase, Homs Governorate
16 February 2017Sergey SeninLieutenant colonel43N/AHostile fire Tiyas Military Airbase, Homs Governorate
16 February 2017Andrei ZekunovColonel44152nd Guards Missile Brigade, Russian MarinesHostile fire Tiyas Military Airbase, Homs Governorate
2 March 2017Artyom GorbunovPrivate2496th Reconnaissance Brigade, 1st Guards Tank ArmyHostile firenear Palmyra, Homs Governorate
9 April 2017Alexei GoncharenkoN/AN/AN/AHostile fire Hama Governorate
9 April 2017Igor ZavidnyN/A34N/AHostile fire Hama Governorate
18 April 2017Sergey BordovMajorN/ARussian MarinesHostile fireHama Governorate
27 April 2017Alexei ChugunovJunior sergeant3914th Special Purpose Brigade, Spetsnaz GRUHostile fire N/A
27 April 2017Bogdan DerevitskyJunior sergeant2414th Special Purpose Brigade, Spetsnaz GRUHostile fire N/A
2 May 2017Alexei BuchelnikovLieutenant colonelN/AN/AHostile fire N/A
10 July 2017Nikolay AfanasovCaptain33N/AHostile fire Hama Governorate
2 August 2017Kurban KasumovCaptain313rd Guards Spetsnaz Brigade, Spetsnaz GRUHostile fire Hama Governorate or Raqqa Governorate
3 August 2017Valery EmdyukovN/A303rd Guards Spetsnaz Brigade, Spetsnaz GRUHostile fire N/A
4 September 2017N/AN/AN/AN/AHostile fire Deir ez-Zor Governorate
4 September 2017N/AN/AN/AN/AHostile fire Deir ez-Zor Governorate
19 September 2017Alexei GoynyakMajor33Special Operations Forces Hostile fireN/A
22 September 2017Alexei KolganovSenior sergeantN/AN/AHostile fireN/A
23 September 2017Valery AsapovLieutenant general515th ArmyHostile fire Deir ez-Zor Governorate
30 September 2017Valery FedyaninColonelN/A61st Naval Infantry BrigadeHostile fire Moscow, Russia
10 October 2017Yuri KopylovCaptain42Russian Air ForceNon-hostile Khmeimim airbase, Latakia Governorate
10 October 2017Yuri MedvedkovCaptainN/ARussian Air ForceNon-hostile Khmeimim airbase, Latakia Governorate
31 December 2017Renat GimadievN/AN/ARussian Air ForceNon-hostile 15 km from Hama Military Airport, Hama Governorate
31 December 2017N/AN/AN/ARussian Air ForceNon-hostile 15 km from Hama Military Airport, Hama Governorate
31 December 2017N/AN/AN/AN/AHostile fire Khmeimim air base, Latakia Governorate
31 December 2017N/AN/AN/AN/AHostile fire Khmeimim air base, Latakia Governorate
3 February 2018Roman FilipovMajor3337th Mixed Aviation Regiment, Russian Air ForceHostile fire Idlib Governorate
6 March 2018Vladimir EremeevMajor generalN/A27th Guards Motor Rifle BrigadeNon-hostile Khmeimim airbase, Latakia Governorate
6 March 201838 other deaths
1 Colonel, 6 Majors,
2 Captains, 29 Junior
Officers and Sergeants		N/AN/ANon-hostile Khmeimim airbase, Latakia Governorate
3 May 2018Albert DavidyanCaptain MayorN/ARussian Air ForceNon-hostile Mediterranean Sea near Khmeimim airbase, Latakia Governorate
3 May 2018N/AN/AN/ARussian Air ForceNon-hostile Mediterranean Sea near Khmeimim airbase, Latakia Governorate
6 May 2018Nikolay GushchinLieutenant Colonel3918th Army Aviation BrigadeNon-hostile eastern Syria
6 May 2018Roman MiroshnichenkoLieutenant2418th Army Aviation BrigadeNon-hostile eastern Syria
13 May 2018Igor MelyantsevColonel53Special Operations Forces Non-hostile N/A
23 May 2018Kirill PolischukN/A25200th Artillery Brigade, 29th ArmyHostile fire near Mayadin, Deir ez-Zor Governorate
23 May 2018N/AN/AN/A200th Artillery Brigade, 29th ArmyHostile fire near Mayadin, Deir ez-Zor Governorate
23 May 2018N/AN/AN/A200th Artillery Brigade, 29th ArmyHostile fire near Mayadin, Deir ez-Zor Governorate
23 May 2018N/AN/AN/A200th Artillery Brigade, 29th ArmyHostile fire near Mayadin, Deir ez-Zor Governorate
2 July 2018Igor MelyantsevColonel53Special Operations Forces Non-hostile N/A
17 September 201815 servicemenN/AN/AN/AFriendly fire Mediterranean Sea, near Latakia Governorate
31 January 2019Maxim PletnevSergeant24Russian Airborne TroopsHostile firenear Massasneh, Hama Governorate
23 February 2019Suhrob KarimovMajor3538th Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade, 35th Combined Arms ArmyHostile firenear Mayadin, Deir ez-Zor Governorate
23 February 2019Albert OmarovColonelN/A3rd Guards Spetsnaz Brigade, Spetsnaz GRUHostile firenear Mayadin, Deir ez-Zor Governorate
23 February 2019N/AN/AN/AN/AHostile firenear Mayadin, Deir ez-Zor Governorate
18 January 2020N/AN/AN/AN/AHostile fireIdlib Governorate
18 January 2020N/AN/AN/AN/AHostile fireIdlib Governorate
18 January 2020N/AN/AN/AN/AHostile fireIdlib Governorate
18 January 2020N/AN/AN/AN/AHostile fireIdlib Governorate
1 February 2020Bulat AhmatyanovMajor32Spetsgruppa "K", Federal Security ServiceHostile fireAleppo, Aleppo Governorate
1 February 2020Dmitry MinovCaptain34Spetsgruppa "K", Federal Security ServiceHostile fireAleppo, Aleppo Governorate
1 February 2020Ruslan GimadievMajor41Spetsgruppa "K", Federal Security ServiceHostile fireAleppo, Aleppo Governorate
1 February 2020Vsevolod TrofimovLieutenant32Spetsgruppa "K", Federal Security ServiceHostile fireAleppo, Aleppo Governorate
11 March 2020N/AN/AN/AN/ANon-hostile Tartus Governorate

Status unclear

The following is a list of fatal casualties among those that were possibly regular military, but were not officially confirmed.
Date of deathNameRankAgeBranchCause of deathLocation of death
19 June 2016Vladimir BekishColonel425th Guards Tank Brigade, 36th ArmyHostile fire Aleppo Governorate
8 December 2016Sanal SanchirovMajor3756th Guards Air Assault BrigadeHostile fire Palmyra, Homs Governorate
5 February 2017Igor VoronaLieutenant colonel37N/AHostile fireN/A
February–March 2017Sergei TravinN/A40+N/AHostile fireN/A
8 April 2017Gennady PerfilyevLieutenant colonel51N/AHostile fireN/A
18 April 2017N/AN/AN/ARussian MarinesHostile fireHama Governorate
3 May 2017Evgeny KonstantinovCaptain32N/AHostile fireHama Governorate
3 May 2017Alexander SkladanMajor37N/AHostile fireHama Governorate
June 2017Kalandarov N. D.EnsignN/A3rd Guards Spetsnaz Brigade, Spetsnaz GRUHostile fireN/A
16 September 2017Rustem AbzalovColonelN/AN/AHostile fireN/A
16 September 2017Vladimir TarasyukN/AN/AN/AHostile fireN/A
16 September 2017N/AGeneralN/AN/AHostile fireN/A
23 September 2017N/AColonelN/AN/AHostile fire Deir ez-Zor Governorate
23 September 2017N/AColonelN/AN/AHostile fire Deir ez-Zor Governorate
18–23 September 2017Magomed TerbulatovN/AN/AChechen military policeHostile firepossibly Idlib Governorate
September 2017Yuri KhabarovN/A40N/AHostile fireN/A
October 2017Mark NeymarkN/A25Special Operations ForcesHostile fire N/A
1 March 2018Alexander SolopovN/A22291st Artillery Brigade, 58th ArmyHostile fireEastern Ghouta
Early March 2018Vladimir PonomarevN/AN/A291st Artillery Brigade, 58th ArmyHostile fireN/A
2 November 2018Andranik ArustamyanJunior sergeant2821st Guards Motor Rifle BrigadeFriendly fire Deir ez-Zor Governorate
3 September 2019Dmitry SyskovCaptainN/ASpecial Operations ForcesHostile fire Idlib Governorate
3 September 2019Kirill NikonovSenior LieutenantN/ASpecial Operations ForcesHostile fire Idlib Governorate
3 September 2019Roman MitsykMajorN/ASpecial Operations ForcesHostile fire Idlib Governorate

Out-of-country deaths related to the Operation

On 25 December 2016, a Russian military Tupolev Tu-154 with 92 people on board crashed in the Black Sea during a flight from Sochi International Airport, Russia to Khmeimim, Syria. There were no survivors. Among those killed were: 64 members of the Alexandrov Ensemble choir, nine journalists, eight crew members, eight other passenger soldiers, two federal civil servants and a prominent Russian humanitarian worker.