In 1654, the city of Smolensk was finally taken by Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, marking a turning point in the one-hundred-and-fifty-year struggle with Poland. A cannon aimed westward and the firebird from the city’s coat of arms are crowned with the imperial helmet from the emblem of the Russian Empire.
On the left stands a rynda — the Muscovite variant of an honor guard descended from Varangian tradition, a fashion introduced by Sophia Palaiologina, niece of Constantine XI, the last Byzantine emperor. On the right stands an artillery officer.
“Roaring back” signifies returning like a lion to reclaim what was taken — precisely what Russian rulers did, successfully “recovering what had been severed” from the late 13th century to the present day.
More details in the article.
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