Battle of Kalaus

The Battle of Kalaus was a engagement during the Russo-Turkish War (1768–1774) And Resulted Kalmyk Victory.

Background

During the Russo-Turkish War (1768–1774), the Crimean Sultans Maksut-Giray and Arslan-Giray led an elite detachment of 6,000 heavily armed warriors from the North Caucasian peoples and Kuban Tatars into the Kalmyk lands, believing the main Kalmyk forces were absent. They aimed to exploit this perceived vulnerability for plunder, but Kalmyk Khan Ubashi, informed by timely intelligence, mobilized his forces to counter this incursion near the Kalaus River.

Battle

On June 21, 1769, a Kalmyk reconnaissance unit engaged the advancing Crimean forces, luring them into an ambush where the main Kalmyk army was hidden. The surprise attack led to a rout of the Crimean forces, who were forced into a defensive position in a ravine. Despite their defensive setup, the Kalmyks managed to overcome them with a combination of archery and cavalry charges. The battle resulted in significant losses for the Crimeans, with the Kalmyks capturing numerous banners, horses, and other spoils.

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