▁units ▁retre ated ▁west ward ▁into ▁un famil iar ▁territory ▁with ▁the ▁retre ating ▁German ▁army ▁and ▁were ▁re organ ized ▁into ▁the ▁Kal mu ck ▁Leg ion , ▁although ▁the ▁Kal my ks ▁themselves ▁preferred ▁the ▁name ▁Kal mu ck ▁Caval ry ▁Corps . ▁The ▁cas ual ty ▁rate ▁also ▁increased ▁substantial ly ▁during ▁the ▁retre at , ▁especially ▁among ▁the ▁Kal my k ▁officers . ▁To ▁replace ▁those ▁killed , ▁the ▁German ▁army ▁im posed ▁forced ▁cons cription , ▁taking ▁in ▁te en agers ▁and ▁middle - aged ▁men . ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁the ▁overall ▁effect iveness ▁of ▁the ▁Kal my k ▁units ▁decl ined . ▁ ▁By ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁war , ▁the ▁rem n ants ▁of ▁the ▁Kal mu ck ▁Caval ry ▁Corps ▁had ▁made ▁its ▁way ▁to ▁Austria ▁where ▁the ▁Kal my k ▁soldiers ▁and ▁their ▁family ▁members ▁became ▁post - war ▁refuge es . ▁ ▁Those ▁who ▁did ▁not ▁want ▁to ▁leave ▁formed ▁milit ia ▁units ▁that ▁chose ▁to ▁stay ▁behind ▁and ▁har ass ▁the ▁on coming ▁Soviet ▁Red ▁Army . ▁ ▁Although ▁a ▁large ▁number ▁of ▁Kal my ks ▁chose ▁to ▁fight ▁against ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union , ▁the ▁majority ▁by - and - large ▁remained ▁loyal ▁to ▁their ▁country , ▁fighting ▁the ▁German ▁army ▁in ▁regular ▁Soviet ▁Red ▁army ▁units ▁and ▁in ▁part isan ▁resistance ▁units ▁behind ▁the ▁battle lines ▁throughout ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union . ▁ ▁Before ▁their ▁removal ▁from ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Red ▁Army ▁and ▁from ▁part isan ▁resistance ▁units ▁after ▁December ▁ 1