Kavkaz Files ISSN 2975-0474 Volume 28 Issue 2
Author: Vlad Antonov
The Republic of Kalmykia is a subject of the Russian Federation in the Southern Federal District. Despite being small in size (with an area of 74.7 thousand square kilometers – only 0.4% of the Russian Federation’s territory) and having a small population (around 270 thousand people), its strategic location makes it a potential hub for cooperation between Moscow and neighboring countries in the Caspian region.
This report seeks to outline the historical and socioeconomic features of Kalmykia and examine its potential contribution to Moscow’s logistics strategy in the Caspian Sea region.
Historical background
The Kalmyks, a Mongolic-speaking people, have undergone a long and complex process of development. The Kalmyks, a Mongolic-speaking people, experienced a long and complex process of development that distinctly divides their history into two periods. The first period, known as the Oirat period, spanned from the 13th century to the first third of the 17th century, during which the ancestors of the Kalmyks inhabited the steppes of Western Mongolia and Dzungaria. The second period, known as the Kalmyk period, has maintained a close connection with the Russian region of the Lower Volga for over 400 years.
In the late 16th and early 17th centuries, the shortage of pasturelands and feudal conflicts prompted the rulers of the major Oirat ethnopolitical groups — the Torguts, led by Taisha Kho-Urluk, and the Dörbets, led by Dalai-Batur — to migrate to the steppes of Western Siberia, which had become part of Russia after Yermak’s campaigns.
In 1608, some Oirats, whom the Russian authorities referred to as Kalmyks (following the example of their Turkic-speaking neighbours), for the first time swore allegiance to the Russian Tsar. The Russian state committed to defending the Kalmyks’ interests, providing all kinds of assistance, and protecting them from the Mongols under the rule of the Altyn Khans, the Nogais, and the Kazakhs. In turn, the Kalmyk rulers had to pay tribute in cattle and send hostages (amanats) as a guarantee of loyalty to the Russian Tsar.
Subsequently, the Kalmyks established their settlement in the interfluve of the Emba, Yaik (Ural), and Volga rivers, where, in the second half of the century, they formed the Kalmyk Khanate and a distinct Mongolic-speaking people, the Kalmyks, emerged.
With the arrival of the Kalmyks, who had considerable military power, the Lower Volga region and nearby lands became a formidable obstacle for Turkish-Crimean forces invading central Russian territories. From 1657 onwards, Kalmyk cavalry regularly participated in military campaigns as part of Russian troops.
In the early 18th century, the Kalmyk Khanate became one of the major national-political entities within the Russian Empire.
During the Patriotic War of 1812 (started by Napolean and also known as the French invasion of Russia), the Kalmyks formed three regiments (the First and Second Kalmyk Regiments and the Stavropol Kalmyk Regiment), which fought their way to Paris. Kalmyk Cossacks from the Don fought in Cossack units under the command of the legendary Ataman Platov.
In the 1930s, authorities introduced radical social, economic, and cultural reforms that marked the final transition from a nomadic to a sedentary lifestyle, the development of industries (fishing, salt production, building materials), and the formation of a national elite.
During the Great Patriotic War (Second World War), the Kalmyk ASSR sent over 40,000 people to the front. However, the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on December 27th, 1943 abolished the Kalmyk ASSR and divided its territory between the newly created Astrakhan Oblast (8 districts) and the Stavropol, Stalingrad, and Rostov regions. The Soviet Union deported the Kalmyks to the Altai and Krasnoyarsk territories, as well as the Omsk and Novosibirsk regions. Between December 1943 and the first half of 1944, over 92,000 Kalmyks were resettled in the eastern regions of the country.
It was only in 1957 that justice was restored, and the Kalmyks returned to their homeland. On January 9th, 1957, the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR restored justice by re-establishing the Kalmyk Autonomous Oblast within the Stavropol Territory. In July 1958, it transformed into the Kalmyk ASSR. Between 1957 and 1959, 72,665 Kalmyks, the overwhelming majority of the ethnic group, returned to their territory. In the republic, industry, agriculture, science and education, culture, and the arts developed intensively.
The Kalmyks have been practicing the Tibetan form of Buddhism in Kalmykia since the late 16th century, making it the only Buddhist centre in Europe. Currently, over 30 temples and monasteries (khuruls) are active in the republic, three of which are in the capital, Elista.
The republic is home to the largest khurul in Europe, the “Golden Abode of Shakyamuni Buddha”, along with many Buddhist monuments and shrines that form the architectural ensemble of the historical centre of the city.
Kalmykia also boasts unique natural landmarks, protected areas, rich vegetation, and rare bird species. Among the notable sites are historically and culturally significant complexes, such as the Chilgir Memorial House Museum of the First All-Kalmyk Congress of Soviets, Lake Manych, and the coastal part of the Volga River in the Yustinsky district.
Geopolitical Potential of the Republic of Kalmykia
Kalmykia’s territory once formed part of the Great Silk Road, a historical route traversed by ancient peoples such as the Cimmerians, Scythians, Khazars, Huns, and Pechenegs, who are now remembered only through their burial mounds. The Golden Horde built cities here, and archaeological sites of nomadic cultures remain. This is also home to the Great Historical Crossroads, at the geographic centre of the Euro-Asian continent.
Today, experts emphasise Kalmykia’s strategic importance in southern Russia, lying on the routes of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC). A paved road connects the region’s capital, Elista, linking the South and North Caucasus to the Volga region and central Russia. The western railway route of the INSTC, “Russia-Azerbaijan-Iran,” passes through Kalmykia, enabling Russia to stabilise export logistics to the Middle East and South Asia amid extensive Western sanctions.
At the end of September, the Fifth Elista Economic Forum 2024, titled “My Business,” occurred in Elista. This international event became a platform for discussing new initiatives related to the development of the NSTC and cultural-humanitarian cooperation in the Caspian region.
On September 21st, 2024, the A.M. Gorchakov Public Diplomacy Support Fund, together with the Russian-Turkmen Cultural Centre and the Caspian Heritage Foundation, held a thematic session within the Elista-2024 Economic Forum. The session titled “The North-South International Transport Corridor – Economic Prospects of the Caspian Region” discussed Eurasian transit projects and the role of Kalmykia in advancing Russia’s flagship transport project in the Caspian.
On September 20th, 2024, Batu Sergeevich Khasikov took office as the new head of the Republic of Kalmykia, generating high expectations from local population and experts since they believe that his leadership will enhance the region’s role in Russia’s Caspian policy. Experts from Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Iran highlighted the modern significance of the INSTC in developing Eurasian transport infrastructure, particularly concerning Kalmykia’s segment of the corridor.
Since 2022, after the beginning of the Ukraine conflict (which Moscow calls a ‘special military operation’), the INSTC has gained momentum as an alternative transcontinental trade route between Russia and the Global South, despite Europe, once the final destination of the corridor, no longer being part of the project. Though much work remains to fully launch the corridor, both government and businesses have shown a firm commitment to its realisation and are ready to tackle logistical challenges.
However, the Russian authorities are being demanded new solutions by current trends, like the falling water levels of the Caspian Sea. Experts suggest several infrastructure projects in Kalmykia, particularly the construction of the Lagani Port, discussed for over a decade, and the “Ulan Kholl – Adyk – Yashkul – Elista – Zimovniki” railway, which could diversify the cargo flows along the western route of the NSTC.
In 2015, authorities decided to build Lagani Port, and by 2017, they established the Lagani Port Joint Stock Company. The proposed port, located 2 km southeast of Lagani city in Kalmykia, would ensure year-round grain exports from Russia to Iran, up to 10 million tonnes annually, and the import of fruits and vegetables from Iran to Russia.The trade turnover could potentially reach 45 million tonnes on an annual basis.
The port could become part of the Free Trade Zone (FTZ) between the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and Iran, significantly boosting the GDP of participating countries. In the future, Lagani Port could serve as a transit hub between Europe and Asia/the Middle East (India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria) through both sea and land transport routes.
The port’s initial cargo turnover is projected at 22.5 million tonnes annually. The first stage will see a projected turnover of 12.5 million tonnes per year, comprising a grain terminal with a capacity of 5 million tonnes, a vegetable oil terminal with a capacity of 0.5 million tonnes, a container terminal with a capacity of 5 million tonnes, and a general cargo terminal with a capacity of 2 million tonnes. In the second stage, turnover might increase by 10 million tonnes per year.
Kalmykia actively participates in the INSTC, not limiting its involvement to port construction. The previously mentioned railway project would help establish a new international transport corridor. The railway line “Ulan Kholl – Zimovniki” would link Ulan Kholl station, 42 km from Lagani Port, with the Zimovniki station on the Volgograd-1 — Salsk line, providing access to the Sea of Azov.
Kalmykia: A Cultural and Civilisational Dialogue Hub
Elista hosted an international scientific-practical conference titled “Symbols of Eternity: The Bridge of Friendship between Kalmyks and Turkmens” during the Fifth Elista Economic Forum 2024 and the regional forum “Nations Together Through Centuries,” in commemoration of the 300th anniversary of Makhtumkuli Fragi.
The event featured the signing of cooperation agreements between leading educational, scientific, and public institutions of Kalmykia and Turkmenistan, expanding cultural and scientific exchanges between the two countries. Among the agreements was a partnership between Kalmyk State University, the Youth Affairs Agency, and the Caspian Heritage Foundation, reaffirming the centuries-old friendship between Russia and Turkmenistan.
The event attracted professionals from various fields, including experts, scientists, political analysts, and representatives from universities and think tanks in Russia and the CIS who presented reports on Kalmykia-Turkmenistan relations and the works of Makhtumkuli Fragi. Attendees included Kalmykia’s government representatives, parliamentarians, and Turkmen students studying at Kalmyk State University.
The discussions revolved around the historical interactions between the Kalmyk and Turkmen people, as well as the potential for increasing humanitarian and trade ties between the two regions. The Consul of Turkmenistan in Astrakhan, Gadam Jumanepesovich Ilamanov, emphasised Makhtumkuli Fragi’s contribution to Turkic literature and called for a deeper study of the historical relations between the Kalmyks and Turkmens.
Conclusion
The Republic of Kalmykia, in the strategically important Caspian region, is actively expanding its role in strengthening trade-economic and cultural ties between the peoples of the Caspian region. Kalmykia’s buffer position allows it to address modern challenges and open new economic opportunities for regional cooperation.
The participation of Turkmenistan in the Elista events underlines Ashgabat’s ambition to diversify its involvement in Russia’s Caspian initiatives, providing an alternative to Western-backed projects such as the Middle Corridor and the Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline.
Disclaimer
Report in media partnership with Kaspiskij Vestnik. The content of this report is the sole responsibility of the author(s) and does not represent the views, opinions, or positions of SpecialEurasia or any of its affiliated entities. The information contained within has been sourced from publicly available materials and is provided strictly for general informational purposes.
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