A decade since Russia's military intervention: Syria victims demand justice

The tenth anniversary of the Russian military intervention in Syria marks a political climate completely different from the one that existed when the first Russian airstrikes began on September 30, 2015.

At that time, Moscow intervened under the pretext of "fighting terrorism." However, according to human rights and UN reports, it actually shaped the course of the Syrian conflict in favor of the survival of Bashar al-Assad's regime and contributed to shifting the balance of power through direct military intervention, the most influential since the outbreak of the revolution in 2011.

Today, following the fall of the regime in December 2014 and Assad's flight to Russia, the Syrian Network for Human Rights, in a report, called on Moscow to assume its legal and political responsibilities by acknowledging the violations, issuing an official apology, handing Assad over to justice, and launching a compensation program for victims and rebuilding facilities destroyed by Russian bombing.

A Heavy Record of Violations

The report issued by the network documented the killing of 6,993 civilians during the nine years of the Russian intervention, including 2,061 children and 984 women. This number indicates that the attacks were not limited to military sites but also targeted large-scale populated areas. The report also counted 363 massacres and 1,262 attacks on civilian facilities, including schools, hospitals, and markets.

According to international law experts, these figures reflect a recurring pattern of violations that amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, particularly with the use of prohibited munitions such as cluster bombs and the repeated targeting of medical facilities, which constituted a direct blow to the international protection system for civilians.

Political Umbrella

Russia's role was not limited to aircraft and missiles; it extended to obstructing any political process that might lead to a transition of power. Since 2015, Moscow has used its veto power in the Security Council 18 times, 14 of which occurred after its military intervention, to prevent condemnation of the regime or the imposition of sanctions. It also voted against condemnation resolutions at the Human Rights Council 21 times, making it a political and diplomatic umbrella for Assad.

At the same time, Russia pushed for alternative negotiating tracks such as Astana and Sochi, which reduced the UN Geneva process to a formal framework and weakened popular demands for political transition and justice. According to the report, Moscow exploited its influence to manipulate humanitarian aid and prevent its independent cross-border entry, with the aim of strengthening the regime's control.

From Coalition to Impasse

The report added that Russian intervention helped Assad regain control of strategic areas such as Aleppo, Ghouta, Daraa, and Idlib, but this was accompanied by massive destruction and the displacement of millions of Syrians. With the fall of the regime at the end of 2024, Moscow found itself in a political and legal quandary, as demands for accountability directly impacted it, especially given its continued harboring of Assad.

A Clear Apology Is Needed

The director of the Syrian Network for Human Rights, Fadel Abdul Ghani, summarized the situation by saying: "After ten years of intervention, resulting in thousands of victims, the use of prohibited weapons, and the targeting of vital facilities, we cannot ignore the crimes or overlook Russia's responsibility. Any new relationship with Russia must begin with an official recognition, a clear apology, and the handing over of Bashar al-Assad to justice."

Experts believe that the Russian case has become a serious test for the concept of transitional justice in Syria: Will justice be the focus of reconstruction and international relations, or will it be overlooked, as has happened in other countries' experiences? The network emphasized that the rights of victims must be "central," and that any reconstruction not based on an acknowledgment of crimes and guarantees of non-recurrence will reproduce the tragedy rather than address it.

Ten years after the first Russian airstrikes in Syrian skies, the political and military equations have changed, but the effects of the intervention remain vivid in the memory of Syrians: destroyed cities, displaced families, and victims awaiting justice. As Moscow today attempts to redefine its role in the Middle East, the Network's report reminds us that crimes do not expire with a statute of limitations, and that the memory of the victims will remain stronger than any political settlement that ignores their rights.