Burnt arrows of Kalmykia. Republic against the backdrop of war
Kalmykia is one of the poorest regions of Russia, fourth from the bottom in terms of per capita income. Only 8% of the inhabitants of the republic are provided with high-quality water. The Kalmyk language is threatened with extinction – these are the consequences of centuries of assimilation and Stalin’s deportation: in 1943, the Kalmyks were deported to Siberia, and only after Stalin’s death, in 1956, were they allowed to return to their homeland.