Torgut

The Torgut, also spelled Tögrüt or Torghut, are a Western Mongol (Oirat) tribe and one of the major groups within the Oirat confederation. Historically they inhabited the Dzungar Basin and surrounding steppe regions before many migrated westward to the Volga region. They are closely related culturally and linguistically to other Oirat groups, and their people today are commonly associated with the Kalmyk as well as Kalmykian identity.

In the 17th century, under leaders such as Ayuka Khan, the Torgut established the Kalmyk Khanate on the Volga River. The Khanate operated as a semi-autonomous polity under Russian suzerainty for much of its existence, maintaining a distinct Oirat-Buddhist culture on the frontier between steppe and empire. The Kalmyk Khanate persisted until the late 18th century, after which it was absorbed into the expanding Russian state. In the 20th century, the Kalmyks were deported to parts of the Soviet Union in 1943 during World War II, with many returning in the following decades and reestablishing communities in their historic homelands and diasporas.

Language and culture are central to Torgut identity. They speak Kalmyk, an Oirat Mongol language, written in Cyrillic in Russia and using traditional scripts in other regions. Tibetan Buddhism is the predominant religion, complemented by a nomadic heritage that emphasizes horse culture, herding, and clan-based social organization. Traditional dwellings include the yurt (ger), and cultural practices preserve a distinct Kalmyk-Oirat heritage within broader Mongol and Russian contexts.

Today, Torgut communities are primarily found in Kalmykia, Russia, with smaller populations in Mongolia, Inner Mongolia (China), and other diasporic settlements. They continue to contribute to Kalmyk cultural life, language preservation, and Buddhist traditions.