Boris Ochirov, Chairman of the Union of repressed peoples of Kalmykia during the interview.

Pagoda "Seven Days" at the central square of the city of Elista.

Pagoda "Seven Days" at the central square of the city of Elista.

Main buddist temple of Kalmykia in the city of Elista.

Main buddist temple of Kalmykia in the city of Elista.

Main buddist temple of Kalmykia in the city of Elista.

Monument to victims of Stalin's genocide. Stone - limestone taken from the burial place of Kalmykia soldiers who died during the construction of Shirokovskaya hydropower station in 1944 - 1945 years.

Nikolay Ochirov, Deputy of the Kalmykia People's Hural (Parliament) during the interview.

Portrait of the President of Kalmykia Kirsan Ilyumzhinov with Dalai Lama.

Locals playing chess on the central square of the city of Elista.

Wind powered generators.

Wind powered generators.

Wind powered generators.

Wind powered generators.

Views of the city of Elista. Monument to Ostap Bender and 12 chairs, located on the avenue named Bender. The monument is made by the sculptor Alexander Khachaturian.

Views of the city of Elista. Monument to Ostap Bender and 12 chairs, located on the avenue named Bender. The monument is made by the sculptor Alexander Khachaturian.

Locals playing chess on the central square of the city of Elista.

Main buddist temple of Kalmykia in the city of Elista.

Monument "Camel - master of steppe" by sculptor Stepan Botiev in Elista.

Monument to the victims of Stalinist repressions. Stone - limestone taken from the burial place of Kalmykia soldiers who died during the construction of hydropower stations in Shirokovskaya in 1944 -1945.

Sights of the city of Elista. Memorial to victims of Stalinist repressions of the Kalmyk people, "Exodus and Return" (sculptor Ernst Neizvestny, architect Sergei Kurneev) at the corner of Khrushchev Street and Esambayev Street.

Sights of the city of Elista. Memorial to victims of Stalinist repressions of the Kalmyk people, "Exodus and Return" (sculptor Ernst Neizvestny, architect Sergei Kurneev) at the corner of Khrushchev Street and Esambayev Street.

Sights of the city of Elista. Memorial to victims of Stalinist repressions of the Kalmyk people, "Exodus and Return" (sculptor Ernst Neizvestny, architect Sergei Kurneev) at the corner of Khrushchev Street and Esambayev Street.

Genre picture. A woman prays at the main Buddhist temple in the republic of Elista.

Views of Elista. Sculptural composition "Out of the Country of the Moon" (sculptor M. Simidzu).

The main Buddhist temple in the republic of Elista. One of the sculptures at the temple complex.

A woman entering a Buddhist temple in Elista.