Orenburg Cossacks Museum

From October 5, 1773 to March 23, 1774, Orenburg was besieged by the army headed by Emelyan Pugachev during Pugachev’s Rebellion (also known as the Cossack Rebellion). After the defeat of the rebellion, Empress Catherine II, for their participation in the uprising, renamed Yaik Cossacks into Ural Cossacks, Yaitsky town into Uralsk, the Yaik River into the Ural River to consign to oblivion everything related to these events. The residents of Orenburg received an honorary award - the cross of St. Andrew (X), depicted on the present flag and emblem of Orenburg.