NOTES: For information about Kalmykia's two most prominent oppositions groups, please visit: The Oirat-Kalmyk People's Congress: oiratcongress.org/ Free Kalmykia: docs.freekalmykia.org/ I would like to thank the members of each group that helped me understand Kalmykia's situation. Please note that the conclusions made in this video (and any errors) are entirely mine. TWO VIDEOS WORTH WATCHING FOR DEEPER UNDERSTANING: VARLAMOV’s RU-vid video about Kalmykia: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-l7oYoU4ASaA.html ALCHEMY OF SOUL's interview with Telo Rimpoche: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-CVSwea3hQOA.htmlsi=9-Ivivll_Ayuialb SOURCES USED TO MAKE THIS VIDEO INCLUDE: The Oirat-Kalmyk People's Congress' declaration of independence : facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02tFRX2KRwTFvbLhmndyZhsqzXpwZaXnsDxX5mcPaEZUKu4hfSLj7ddfiVi3MBvyVl&id=100064590014099 Collectivization of agriculture in Kalmykia: www.kigiran.com/sites/default/files/vestnik_2_2009.pdf Poverty in Kalmykia: capost.media/news/ekonomika/v-ingushetii-i-kalmykii-samyy-vysokiy-uroven-bednosti-sredi-regionov-yuga/ Trapeznikov’s appointment as mayor of Elista, and protests: www.bbc.com/russian/features-50138550
I thought there would be some interesting video about this amazing people, but here it’s just a piece of anti-Russian propaganda. 00:29 Particularly funny was the mention of the so-called “Congress of the Oirat-Kalmyk people.” This is not the “largest opposition group” but an extremist organization banned in Russia. It includes several hundred people living in the United States. And they themselves proclaimed themselves “the congress of the Kalmyk people.” The real Kalmyk people (more than 190,000 people) never elected this group of emigrants to serve as their representatives. Therefore, they cannot decide for the entire Kalmyk people whether they should become independent or secede from Russia. This is the same as if I proclaimed myself the President of Texas and demanded that the President of the United States grant independence to the residents of the state of Texas. How strong would my claim be? The largest opposition Kalmyk organization today is the communists (several thousand members of the communist party in Russia are Kalmyks) 1:26 and what exactly was the manifestation of colonial Kalmykia? What rights were denied to Kalmyks in the Russian Empire? You should give at least a couple of examples. You just labeled this region as a colony. This already looks like typical propaganda.
@@iiiZorroiii So you're saying if the Russian state labels someone as "extremist" and forces it's leaders into exile, that opposition group loses all credibility? If your comment was in good faith, clearly you'd be able to see how that's problematic.
Thanks for asking. Varlamov's video was a source for my video, so I listed it in my sources. He's not a RU-vidr I know a huge amount about but his video on Kalmykia was informative imo. 🙂
I am young tibetan heard first time about kalmyk. Felt bad to hear wat you had to go through . We are also same . Stay strong . Wish u best of everything and may you rise and shine.
Kalmykia has every chance not only to live peacefully without Russia, but also to become a successful state! The Republic of Kalmykia has a favorable location, as well as access to the Caspian Sea. And access to the Caspian Sea means access to the shelf and oil and gas deposits! The Republic of Kalmykia now has enough oil and gas reserves, and with independence, the possibility of exploring new fields will increase! Kalmykia will be able to easily cooperate with countries such as Dagestan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, Kazakhstan and Turkey. This is a whole cooperation of countries that will include not only oil trade, but also many other services! For example, the Republic of Kalmykia can develop a banking system and IT. And of course solar and wind energy! I believe in Kalmykia and in its happy and free future!
It's certainly possible. I've seen several claims that Kalmykia is sitting on big oil and gas reserves, but currently out is only producing a moderate amount of each. Access to the Caspian Sea certainly is a help!
Except it has less than 300,000 people and alone won’t be able to extract all those resources. By land it is nearly surrounded by Russian Krais and oblasts. 30% of their population is also Russian and some kalmyks can only speak Russian. There are several regions in Russia that can economically gain independence. This one isn’t one of them. Factor in demographics and geography and reliance on Russia it would be a terrible idea.
All Mongols shall Unite one day under The Great Eternal Blue Tengri❤️🔥🇲🇳❤️🔥 Mongolia-Монгол улс🇲🇳 Southern Mongolia- ᠡᠮᠦᠨᠡᠲᠦ ᠮᠣᠩᠭᠣᠯ🇲🇳 Buryatia-Буряад Улас🇲🇳 Kalmykia-Хальмг Таңһч🇲🇳 Tuva-Тыва🇲🇳 Upper Mongols- ᠳᠡᠭᠡᠳᠦ ᠮᠣᠩᠭᠣᠯ🇲🇳 Khoshuts-ᠬᠤᠱᠤᠳ ᠮᠣᠩᠭᠣᠯ🇲🇳 Hazaras-آزره🇲🇳
I am a young Romanian and I would love to visit Kalmykia, I even made a project back in highschool about it! Sadly because of the current regime in Russia, I can't, unless if Kalmykia becomes independent, and I'm all in for it. And I can bet that Kalmyk girls are beautiful❤
I really love these independence guides you make, and the ones on the Russian republics are easily the most timely given the situation in Russia itself. For your next video on Russian independence movements, I’d recommend making one on Sakha, since it is the physically largest Russian Republic, and the furthest away from Moscow, so I think it would be an interesting topic to cover.
Hiya, I'm really glad you like the Russian republic videos! To be honest, I'd not really considered making one about Sakha yet, but not for any particular reason. One thing I always try to check is if there is a decent sized movement in place (not all republics have organized movements). I will definitley look into it! Just FYI, I'm trying to plan my videos in advance and I'm already working on the next Russian republic video - but I'll be on the lookout for info about Sakha!
@@FredoRockwell if were a betting man, which I’m not, I’d guess either that your next Russian Republic video is a 5 minute version of your earlier Komi video, or a video on Chechnya as it, at least used to have, the most infamous Russian Separatist movement. Oh, and since you did a video on the Crimean Tatars already, perhaps you could also do a video on Abkhazian Separatism. To clarify, not just separatism from Georgia, but from Russia as well, as there seems to be a movement to gain outright independence from both recently, or at least from what I’ve read recently.
Me putting my hands over my face yelling OF COURSE it was Stalin! Really love how he, the embodiment of left wing ideals, did the whole "trains to forced labor" bit like we haven't seen that before. Really showing the world how good it can be when we reject fascism, right? Dropping the aggravated sarcasm, it's really unfortunate the conditions they're living in. These people have a very interesting history and culture. I'm not sure what independence gains them, but I hope they find their way.
The number of people Stalin displaced is truly horrific. I didn't have time to go into much detail, but Stalin even deported Kalmyk members of the Red Army! His excuse was that some Kalmyks had joined up with the German army during a year-long occupation of Elista. In reality, I think he just didn't trust ethic minority groups. I'm not sure independence for Kalmykia by itself would be workable, but in the context of a greater disintegration of Russia it would make sense to me.
I would have never have heard of this place if not for this video. I would like to see them get their independence but its hard to see because of the control Moscow and Putin has
I'm really glad to have introduced you to Kalmykia! I agree, getting independence from Moscow will be tough. But then, I remember when people used to say that about Lithuania...
I have long been fascinated by the only majority-Buddhist polity in Europe. I think Oirat sovereignty would bring enormous exposure to the area in a way that would undoubtedly benefit its people.
Im from Kalmykia, and its all true.But we are actually speak Russian (on public), and most of ppl here dont mind Russians, as long as they don't being racist to us
hi Fredo, could you please make videos about Chechnya, Yakutiya and Chukotka too? Yakutia is bigger than Argentina! 🤫 and noone really knows how about it...
Chechnya and Yakutsk are on my list, and I've just added Chukotka as well. It might take a while for me to get to them, though! There are so many colonies inside Russia. Thank you for the suggestions!
It was not Stalin who said that Kalmyks are traitors but Beria said that Kalmyks are unbelievable and traitors and ordered the deportation of Kalmyks to Siberia
Always amazing to get some insight from a Western random who's never been to Kalmykia let alone Russia in the first place. Kalmyks are fighting side by side, as our brothers, against ukrainian nationalists, Westen mercenaries, and defending the constitutional order of the Russian Federation
Thanks! And yes, the Russian Military's dependence on minority ethnic groups to fill the ranks of soldiers on their front lines is well known. I'm sure you wish the pampered elite of Moscow and St. Petersburg were as easy to cooerce into service. 🙂
@@FredoRockwell You've only recently figured out where Kalmykia was on a map. I suggest you wait before getting into the topics of Moscow and St. Petersburg. As you seem to be copypasting the trash foreign agents and other terrorists sponsored and funded by the State Department publish for their western audience because nobody here takes them seriously
You complain about Western Mercenaries despite the fact that Wagner PMC had been doing better than the Russian army against Ukraine until they got fed up and rebelled.
@@nigelbaddock I'm not complaining anywhere, mercenaries are common for any armed conflict. And no Wanner haven't been more successful. They have been dealing with 1% of the frontline. They did their part, as did other battle groups of the armed forces. But surely you don't understand the basic fundamentals of combined arms warfare and the coordination between troops to write something like this. Stick to news reports from the Sun and the Telegraph regarding frontline updates 😄
@@littlegreenman2014 My man, people in Russia were literally happy to see Wagner in the streets. The rebellion also shows how insecure Putin is as he killed the top Wagner men by shooting their plane down. The truth is, Putin is surrounded by yes men who are willing to send young men to die.
This channel author is a liar. Kalmykia and Kalmyk are what the Russians call them, they call themselves and their country differently, no one imposed any name. There is no occupation and there cannot be; the Oirats came to these lands when these lands were already part of Russia. After the revolution of 17, not only Buddhists, but all religious confessions suffered, and Kalmyks were not the only ones deported during Stalin’s time. It was terrible, but it was not precisely the oppression of the Kalmyks by the Russians. The independence of Kalmykia is an absolutely ridiculous idea, and as a person living in the neighboring region, I know that there are no strong separatist ideas there.
Thank you so much for your work! This is so helpful...to reveal the truth! I would like to ask you to make a video about Chuckhas, Crimean Tatars, Chechens and Yakuts...
Hiya, thanks again for your encouraging comments! I've made one about the Crimean Tatars already. 🙂 I'm hoping to make one about Chechnya in the next few months. The others are on my list!
Good for them it would supposedly be but be careful those republics contain nuclear weapons in my opinion if any of the republics became independent from Moscow it would be a mistake 😮
Thanks for your comment! I don't think there are nuclear weapons in Kalmykia. Still, I'm not sure that nuclear weapons in newly independent republics is any more dangerous than nuclear weapons controlled by Putin.
@@robertoperez3714 Russia is huge, but I think the locations for nuclear weapons facilities are chosen very deliberately, not scattered about. Even if Kalmykia did end up with some of these facilities, they would probably lack the other resources to manage them. But if they did have everything they needed to control a nuclear weapons stockpile, I would say that putting these in the hands of a free Kalmykia (who would likely hand them over to the IAEA or similar) is preferable than having them in the hands of Putin, who threatens to use nuclear weapons on a regular basis.