Dozens of Russians Are Believed Killed in U.S.-Backed Syria Attack
Aleksandr Averin, a member of the Other Russia nationalist party, confirmed
that Kirill Ananiev, a party member who left for Syria about a year ago, had been killed in the airstrike, noting that there were other “substantial losses.”
“I can confirm that Kirill died on Feb. 7 in Syria, near the Euphrates River, as a result of a strike by the American coalition,” Mr. Averin said in an interview, adding
that he was aware of “substantial losses” suffered by “paramilitary structures with ties to Russia.” He refused to elaborate.
“Russian officials assured coalition officials they would not engage coalition forces in the vicinity.”
The Kremlin — seeking to play down its involvement in the fighting in Syria
and seemingly hoping to avoid escalating tensions with the United States — has sidestepped questions about the episode, even as it faces rare criticism at home over its failure to acknowledge the deaths of Russians in Syria.
A Syrian military officer said that about 100 Syrian soldiers had been killed in the fighting on Feb. 7 and 8,
but news about Russian casualties has dribbled out only slowly, through Russian news organizations and social media.
MOSCOW — Four Russian nationals, and perhaps dozens more, were killed in fighting between pro-government forces in eastern Syria
and members of the United States-led coalition fighting the Islamic State, according to Russian and Syrian officials.
Aleksandr Ionov, a Russian businessman working in Syria offering security
and other services, said he estimated after conversations with associates in several private military organizations that more than 200 Russians might have been killed.