Coat of arms of Russia - Definition and Overview

The Russian Coat of Arms comes from the old Russian empire, and it was restored after the fall of the Soviet Union, despite objections. The red color of the blazon symbolizes Great Russia, an old name of the country, used only by the Russians to distinguish from Little Russia (Ukraine) or White Russia (Belarus). The two-headed eagle with crowns represents the old Russian Empire, while the sceptre and the golden orb in its claws represent the power of the tsar and the Russian Orthodox Church, respectively. The eagle is two-headed because it symbolises that Russia has territory in two continents, Europe and Asia. In the center, the eagle holds a small shield of Saint George slaying the dragon - the Coat of Arms of Moscow. Originally, Saint George faced left with the lance still in his right hand, but his posture was later altered to the right to give him a more natural look.

External Link

• Federal Constitutional Law about the State Coat of Arms of Russian Federation (in Russian) (http://www.gov.ru/main/symbols/gsrf2_1.html)