9 4 3 , ▁approximately ▁ 8 , 0 0 0 ▁Kal my ks ▁were ▁awarded ▁various ▁orders ▁and ▁med als , ▁including ▁ 2 1 ▁Kal my k ▁men ▁who ▁were ▁recognized ▁as ▁a ▁Hero ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union . ▁▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁Kal my k ▁deport ation ▁ ▁On ▁December   2 7 , ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁Soviet ▁authorities ▁declared ▁that ▁" many ▁Kal my ks " ▁were ▁guilty ▁of ▁co operation ▁with ▁the ▁German ▁Army ▁and ▁c ited ▁that ▁as ▁a ▁just ification ▁to ▁order ▁the ▁deport ation ▁of ▁the ▁entire ▁Kal my k ▁population , ▁including ▁those ▁who ▁had ▁served ▁with ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Army , ▁to ▁various ▁locations ▁in ▁Central ▁Asia ▁and ▁Si ber ia . ▁ ▁In ▁conj unction ▁with ▁the ▁deport ation , ▁the ▁Kal my k ▁A SS R ▁was ▁abol ished ▁and ▁its ▁territory ▁was ▁split ▁between ▁adjacent ▁A stra k han , ▁Rost ov ▁and ▁St aling rad ▁O bl asts ▁and ▁St av ropol ▁K rai . ▁ ▁To ▁completely ▁ob liter ate ▁any ▁traces ▁of ▁the ▁Kal my k ▁people , ▁the ▁Soviet ▁authorities ▁renamed ▁the ▁former ▁republic ' s ▁towns ▁and ▁villages . ▁ ▁The ▁population ▁transfer ▁occurred ▁immediately ▁in ▁the ▁middle ▁of ▁the ▁evening . ▁ ▁No ▁one ▁was ▁given ▁advanced ▁notification ▁or ▁time ▁to ▁assemble ▁their ▁belong ings , ▁including ▁warm ▁cl othing , ▁in ▁prepar ation ▁for ▁their ▁forced ▁re location . ▁ ▁They ▁were ▁transport ed ▁in ▁tr uck s ▁from ▁their