The Russian Empire started the expansion into Asia by the construction of an eastern frontier fortress town in the southern Ural region to be named Orenburg in 1734. Cossack colonists originally founded a settlement in 1735 at the confluence of the Ural River with the Or River. The town's name means “fortress near the Or,”. This settlement changed its name in 1739 to Orsk. An attempt was made to found another Orenburg about 175 km west at a location called Krasnogor, or “Red Hill,” in 1741, but this settlement failed. A third Orenburg was successfully established by Ivan Neplyuyev at its present location approximately 250 km west down the Ural from Orsk in 1743. This third Orenburg functioned as an important military outpost on the frontier with the nomadic Kazakhs. It became the center for the Orenburg Cossacks. Orenburg governorate was created in 1744 from the lands annexed from Siberian and Astrakhan Governorates. In 1782, the governorate, along with Chelyabinsky Uyezd of Perm Viceroyalty were transformed into Ufa Viceroyalty, which was divided into Ufa and Orenburg Oblasts. In 1796, Ufa Viceroyalty was renamed Orenburg Governorate, and in 1865 it was split in two - a smaller Orenburg Governorate, and Ufa Governorate. A coat of arms for Orenburg Governorate was adopted 12 October 1867. [1] It is:

Arms: Gules two imperial  banners in saltire, in chief an orthodox cross bottony and in base a crescent reversed Or; and  a chief Argent a marten courant Azure.

Crown: The Russian Imperial Crown

Garland: Branches of oak Or and a ribbon and bow of the Order of St. Andrew Azure.

The banners symbolize the victory of the Imperial Army over the Tatars and the cross and crescent the victory of the Orthodox Christians over the Muslims. The marten (symbol of Ufa) symbolizes the fur-trade.

The Orenburg Cossack Host (Оренбургское казачье войско), was a part of the Cossack population in pre-revolutionary Russia. It was settled along the upper course of the Urals River. It was the third largest host, after the Don and Kuban.

After having constructed fortifications around the future town of Orenburg in 1734, they officially founded it in 1735. For the purpose of defending the city and colonizing the region, the Russian government relocated the Cossacks from Ufa, Iset, Samara and other places and created the Orenburg non-regular corps in 1748. In 1755, a part of it was transformed into the Orenburg Cossack Host .

After the October Revolution of 1917, the leadership of the Orenburg Cossack Host, under the command of Ataman Alexander Dutov, ousted the Bolsheviks from Orenburg on 8.11.1917. They had to withdrew on 31.01.1918 but returned 3.6.1918. On 22 1.1919 however they were defeated definitively. The poorer Cossacks then joined the ranks of the Red Army.

In 1920, the Orenburg Cossack Host ceased to exist.

Flag of Orenburg Cossack Host 1917-´18

Battle Standard of Orenburg Cossack Host

The arms of the Orenburg Cossack Host were granted on 18 February 1912 at the occasion of the 300th anniversary of the host  in 1874. They are:

Arms: Argent, a fess Azure, in chief the Russian eagle issuant Or and in base a saltire Azure; and a base Or, two arrows in saltire and a bow per fess.

Crown: A Cossack Hat with a blue top.

Exterior ornament::A blue ribbon on its bow the date 1574 [2]

In the upper half is derived from the arms of the city of Orenburg:

Arms: Or, a fess wavy Azure, in chief the Russian two-headed eagle issuant Sable billed imperially and royally crowned Or , in base a saltire Azure.

Granted 06.06.1782

Police

MVD emblem of Orenburg Oblast

Arms:  Gules two imperial  banners in saltire, in chief an orthodox cross bottony and in base a crescent reversed Or; and  a chief Argent a marten courant Azure.

Crest: The achievement of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Motto:  СЛУЖА ЗАКОНУ – СЛУЖИМ НАРОДУ  (To Serve the Law - To Serve the People) in golden lettering on a red ribbon.

Orenburg Oblast Riot Police (ОМОН)

Arms:  Argent, three mountains Gules charged with a leopard’s head threatening proper.

Crest: The achievement of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Supporters: Two swords in saltire, hilts in chief Argent

Motto:  ЧЕСТЬ ДОЛГ ОТВАГА (Honor Courage Debt) in silver lettering on a blue ribbon.

Orenburg Oblast Criminal Militia

Arms: Sanguine, two imperial  banners in saltire, in chief an orthodox cross bottony and in base a crescent reversed Or;and a bordure set with rivets Or.

Crest: The achievement of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Supporters: A sword per bend, hilt in chief Argent, the hilt Or.

Motto:  СЛУЖА ЗАКОНУ – СЛУЖИМ НАРОДУ  (To Serve the Law - To Serve the People) in silver lettering on a sanguine ribbon. [3]