Riot police beat protesters with truncheons and riot shields and dragged people away in scuffles that injured as many as 15 people in the southern Buddhist region. Police arrested more than 85 people, authorities said.
More than 2,000 protesters marched into the central square of Elista calling on Ilyumzhinov to resign. The protesters were angered by high unemployment and accuse the president of violating human rights and stifling dissent.
Footage on state television showed protesters breaking through police barriers and throwing rocks.
"I have never before seen such a horrifying beating," said Semyon Ateyev, president of the Kalmykia Human Rights Center and one of the protest organizers.
"They pounded everybody they saw ... including women and kids. Then they started chasing people around the town," Ateyev said from hospital, where he was taken after being beaten by police.
Regional officials said most of those detained during the protest were drunk and would not face criminal charges.
Ateyev said the protest was part of a civil disobedience campaign aimed at ousting Ilyumzhinov, who they view as authoritarian and incompetent.
Ateyev said Ilyumzhinov, who heads the World Chess Federation and infamously met with Saddam Hussein's late son Uday, spends most of his time abroad "visiting kings and monarchs" and does not spend more than several days per month in his home region.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.