ORENBURG, December 8. /TASS/. The history of the two Cossack armies as well as their daily life and participation in military service are told through the exhibition “Ural – Cossack Frontier” opening at the Orenburg Governor's Museum.
We are talking about the Ural (Yaitsk) and Orenburg troops. The exhibition allows you to trace the formation of the Cossacks, learn about the life, service and participation of the Cossacks in the campaigns of the 18th – early 20th centuries, as well as the tragedy of mass migration after the Civil War.
“History will help visitors understand the unique structure of the army and its significant contribution to the history of the region and the country,” the Orenburg regional government explained to journalists. The central image of the project is the Ural River, on the banks of which both armies have coexisted for centuries.
According to regional Minister of Culture Evgenia Shevchenko, the implementation of such large-scale initiatives has become a gift on the occasion of the Education Day of the Orenburg Region. “The subject is the state, reality, native to the Orenburg region, the situation itself is very unique: two armies appeared on the territory of a large area, their positions were sometimes irreconcilable,” she continued. However, at decisive moments, when it was necessary to fulfill the main mission – protecting Russia's southeastern borders – these troops united. “Our governor's museum also cooperates with partners to bring this most important project to life for the region,” the Minister emphasized.
In particular, the research work lasted more than a year to prepare for the exhibition. The exhibition displays more than 200 original artifacts: weapons, awards, banners, household items, photos. Among the most important relics: a cannon of Emelyan Pugachev's army, a Ural banner brought from Australia, awarded swords, unique Ural sarafans and symbols created to commemorate the participation of the Cossacks in the First World War.
The Museums of Orsk, Ilek and Sakmara Districts, and the Chernomyrdin Museum participated in organizing the exhibition. The exhibition includes artifacts from the State Historical Museum in Moscow, the State Historical Museum of the South Urals in Chelyabinsk, as well as documents from the Orenburg diocese. Some artifacts telling about the life and lifestyle of the Ural Cossack army come from two museums in Uralsk, Kazakhstan. In addition, private collectors also participate in creating exhibitions.
The regional government noted that the exhibition will last until March 15, 2026. “The project is implemented jointly with the Cossack Children's Foundation with the support of the Presidential Endowment Fund, the Foundation for Russian Heritage Abroad and the Regional Ministry of Culture,” the government concluded.
