The article examines Kalmyk-Kazakh literary ties using the example of Syrbai Maulenov's Kazakh translations of poems by Kalmyk poet Mikhail Khoninov and the translator's preface to the publication. On August 6, 1981, the newspaper “Socialist Kazakhstan” published 6 poems by M. Khoninov from different years with a preface by S. Maulenov “Mikhail Khoninov”. This is the first publication of the Kalmyk poet's lyrics in the Kazakh language. In the preface, the author told about his acquaintance with the Kalmyk poet during a trip from Moscow to Pskov to participate in the Pushkin Festival. After that trip, they became friends, corresponded, read each other's works in translations into Russian – the language of communication of the peoples of the Soviet country. The poems of the partisan hero, included in the newspaper publication, introduce the Kazakh reader to Kalmyk lyrics about Russia, his native land, war and peace.