Month: March 2022

For a dummies guide to infiltrating the British establishment look no further than Eugeny Lebedev, proud owner of two UK newspapers, who was shoehorned into the House of Lords by Boris Johnson against the advice of the security services. Not that Lebedev is remotely stupid, far from it, but his targets certainly were, bewitched by his billions, his ex-KGB father’s Italian castle, private jets and patronage. They ignored his tweet hinting that MI6 might have poisoned Livtenenko, the defector murdered on British soil, which two inquiries deemed Putin’s responsibility, and his support for Russian action in Syria and Crimea. Though his newspaper has come out recently against the Ukraine invasion.

  Eugeny was born 8 May 1980 in Moscow, his father Alexander, a former KGB spy turned billionaire oligarch with investments in occupied Crimea, the National Reserve Bank, which held big stakes in Gazprom, the state oil giant, Aeroflot, the Russian airline, and a military jet manufacturer. Lebedev Sr styled himself a dissident but it was suspected he belonged to a class of oligarchs who had licence from Putin to pose as opponents while actually furthering Russia’s interests in the West. Senior was the original owner of the London Evening Standard and Independent newspapers which his son now runs.

 Lebedev junior’s friendship started when Boris became mayor, elected for a  second term with the Lebedev media outlet’s support. After that Boris travelled more frequently to the Lebedev Umbrian villa, including during his time as Foreign Secretary when he had oversight of MI6. He even made a trip in April 2018, weeks after the Skripals were poisoned in Salisbury. ‘He did so without his close protection officers. Johnson has never provided an account of the visit, or explained why he went.’  Just 24 hours after winning his landslide general election in December 2019, Boris attended Alexander Lebedev’s 60th birthday party in London.

  According to the Sunday Times this was when he pushed hard for Lebedev’s peerage. “One said he had started speaking about it almost immediately after arriving in Downing Street. “He pathologically wanted to get this peerage over the line,” a source said. They added: “It was ‘Lebedev needs a peerage, he needs a peerage’ . . . it was immediate.”

  What is wonderfully and alarmingly descriptive is how Lebedev Jnr’s chart fits with the UK’s. He has a Taurus Sun in an uncompromising opposition to Uranus, a power-hungry inconjunct to Pluto and a hard-working trine to Saturn; with a high-energy Mars Jupiter in Virgo.

His Taurus Sun is deeply embedded in the UK 8^th house opposition the 2^nd house UK financial Neptune and square the UK financial Venus. His controlling Pluto squares the UK 10^th house Moon (= the ruling classes). And his super-enthusiastic Mars Jupiter in Virgo opposes the UK’s Pluto. He was custom-built to insert himself in with the great and the good.

  His Taurus Sun is also conjunct Boris’s Jupiter and opposition Boris’s careless/over-hopeful Neptune; with Leb Jnr’s Venus in Gemini in a friendly conjunction to Boris’s Sun.

 At the moment Eugeny Lebedev looks rattled as tr Uranus moves to conjunct his Sun from the middle of June this year, on and off through a rocky two years ahead as tr Uranus continues next year into 2024 to oppose his Uranus. Late this May he picks up catastrophic Neptune midpoint transits, repeating into 2023; with August to November this year seeing his hopes dissolve into disappointment. His relationship with Boris is also slipping and sliding through this year.

  His father Alexander Lebedev, 16 December 1960, is also looking less than thrilled with tr Neptune square his Sagittarius Sun from exactly now on and off into 2023; with a punishing 2023/24 from midpoints.

  This is in no way a pointed comment involving Boris Johnson – but given how the Russian mind works, I wonder if down the line some kompromat material might filter out into the open in revenge, given how many high profile UK figures were involved with the oligarchs.  

Underlying the trans furore of recent years is a mind control battle over language – what is allowed to be said and what will be obliterated under an avalanche of hostility if it deviates from the proscribed party line.

   Pure George Orwell. He says of the Ministry of Truth in 1984 “‘Don’t you see that the whole aim of Newspeak is to narrow the range of thought? In the end we shall make thoughtcrime literally impossible, because there will be no words in which to express it.”  The influence of language on people’s ability to think is one of the book’s most enduring themes as it focuses on the techniques of totalitarianism.

   The Trumpian phenomenon of distorting reality and brain-washing true believers into the dictator’s version of ‘the truth’ was where this trend of abusing language became most noticeable. What it led to was a similarly virulent battle-to-the-death between not just opinions but two opposing mindsets, where victory for one means psychic implosion for the other. Ditto the Brexit argument – a complete inability to tolerate the other view.

  So much of the transgender firefight is an argument at cross purposes. No sane or sensible person is anything other than sympathetic to people with gender dysphoria, but what appears to be at issue is the use of language. Those who have been hounded out of jobs have made statements about biology which would hardly seem inflammatory except in the present climate.

   Maya Forstater, a tax expert and researcher, who lost her job after saying that people cannot change their biological sex won an appeal last year against an employment tribunal. A High Court judge ruled her “gender-critical” beliefs fell under the Equalities Act. The second stage of her claim is ongoing at the moment. She was born 3 July 1973 making her a Sun Cancer square Mars in Aries with her Mercury in Leo trine Mars – she’ll undoubtedly be argumentative and provocative.

  Which is remarkably similar to Suzanne Moore, the journalist, who resigned from the Guardian over lack of support on this issue. Born 17 July 1958 she is another Sun Cancer square Mars in Aries opposition Jupiter, with Mercury in Leo trine Mars.

  And both are not so far removed from George Orwell himself, 25 June 1903 2.30pm Molihari, India, not that the trans debate features in his writing. He had a Sun Neptune in Cancer square Mars in Libra. His Mercury in Gemini was in an Air Grand Trine to Mars trine Saturn in Aquarius. So language and thinking would be important for him. He also had a rebellious Pluto opposition Uranus square Jupiter.  

 J.K. Rowling who has also been harried and harassed, 31 July 1965 9.10pm Bristol, is like Orwell a born rebel with her Uranus Pluto conjunction opposition Saturn square Jupiter. If her birth time is accurate she has a determined Mars in the 8^th.  She’s less of a warrior woman than Suzanne Moore or Maya Forstater, but certainly won’t appreciate being bullied into silence.

See previous posts: November 25 2020 Suzanne Moore.  June 8 2020 JK Rowling.

My own particular credo?  I’ve never thought of myself as a feminist since I was brought up by a father who was the youngest of a family of three older suffragette sisters and a suffragette mother. It’s so far back in the family I just took it for granted that I would be independent and be treated the same way as men/everyone else.  And having done a therapy training which was keen not to slap diagnostic labels on people I would see the purpose of self-development as becoming more yourself. So this obsession with he, she or  they jars somewhat. Sex/gender doesn’t define who a person is. Why have we got so hung up on it?

  What is a priority is that vulnerable women in prison and domestic violence centres need to be protected. And vulnerable  children need to be treated with sensitivity, allowed to develop at their own pace and not be caught up in the fad of the moment.

 The last posts brought a discussion which pointed to the  fanatical bent of the transgender debate perhaps being triggered by the generation born 1995 to 2003 who are of the Uranus Neptune generation which can lean towards an extremism that is not open to debate.

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Maria Prymachenko, Ukraine’s naïve folk-art painter, has become an icon of national identity. Copies of her 1982 painting “A Dove Has Spread Her Wings and Asks for Peace” are now being used in demonstrations as a symbol of hope. Last week a museum housing many of her painting was attacked by Russian forces and although some were rescued it is not known how many.

  She was born 12 January 1909 near Chernobyl into a peasant family and was self-taught, developing her artistic talents after she was struck down by polio at an early age, beginning with embroidery. A later operation enabled her to walk unaided and she had a son by a partner who was killed in World War 11 in Finland with a brother being killed by the Nazis. As she became better known for her painting she had exhibitions in Moscow, Warsaw and Paris. Pablo Picasso was struck by her work saying “I bow down before the artistic miracle of this brilliant Ukrainian.” Her work has been featured on postage stamps and her likeness immortalized on commemorative coins. Her son and two grandsons went on to become painters.

  She had a Capricorn Sun conjunct Uranus and opposition Neptune – marking her out as unconventional, creative and stamped with the highly-strung generational, can-be-inspired Neptune Uranus. She also had her Pluto in Gemini conjunct the North Node opposition Venus adding to her artistic inclinations and tying her into the momentous events of her time. With a tough Saturn in self-reliant Aries trine Mars and a lucky, confident Jupiter trine Uranus and Sun.

  She needed grit to survive a hard life and had the talent to stand out and make the best of what she had.  

Her Sun Uranus in Capricorn do fall in the modern Ukraine’s 1st house so she is an important icon of identity. Her Uranus opposition Neptune had come half circle when Ukraine became independent in 1991 with a Uranus Neptune conjunction in Capricorn on what was her Uranus return, six years before her death.

Chechen death squads sent to eliminate President Zelensky were thwarted according to reports after their plans were leaked to the Ukrainians by disaffected FSB spies. Whether or not the stories are true, or a useful Ukrainian dezinformatsiya plant, the destruction of the Chechen elite squads has caused ructions between Chechnya President Ramzan Kadyrov and the Russians.

  Kadyrov is a particularly nasty piece of work, guilty of a wide array of human rights abuses, kidnapping, assassination, and torture of human rights activists, critics, and their relatives so widespread they constitute crimes against humanity; restricts the public lives of women and had led anti-gay purges in the Republic. A Muslim, he has issued a call to others to embrace the war against Ukraine as a religious duty.

  Born 5 October 1976, he fought against the Russians in the First Chechen War and switched sides for the Second, being installed afterwards as a pro-Kremlin president and favourite of Putin’s on 5 April 2007 and amassing a huge personal fortune from kickbacks on Chechen oil deals.

  None of which matters except to the poor Chechens who disagree with him – but his prospects may well reflect on Putin’s and the progress of the Ukraine war. So it might be illuminating.

 His personal chart has a power-hungry Sun Pluto conjunction in Libra sextile Saturn and Neptune – a control-freak and veering towards paranoia. His Mars in late Libra is catching the tr Pluto square through February to the middle of this month which is hugely frustrating, enraging and trapped. It repeats later in the year, December across the New Year and again on and off till late 2023. So a definite no-progress phase. With more sinking disappointment from next week for several months and repeating into 2023, early and late.

 His Presidency chart will be rattled and undermined this year and next but maybe not enough to topple him.

 Chechnya, 27 October 1991, is in for grinding hardship through 2023/24, and in many ways worse in the few years after, as tr Pluto in Aquarius is conjunct the Saturn and then square the Scorpio Sun and Mars.  

  He certainly does not look victorious over this year or next.

High-profile oligarch Roman Abramovich has been sanctioned by the UK with his assets frozen along with Oleg Deripaska and five others as Liz Truss accused them of having Ukrainian “blood on their hands” because of links to President Putin. Which is laudable, if belated and not a touch hypocritical since Abramovitch for one has been a long established fixture in Britain. He has owned Chelsea Football Club since 2003, as well as a £150 million 15-bedroom mansion in Kensington Palace Gardens and a three-storey penthouse at Chelsea Waterfront circa £22 million, as well as part owning a Russian steel manufacturer which may have been “supplying steel to the Russian military. He and Deripaska succeeded in embedding themselves into London’s political, financial and social establishment, enabled by a tranche of UK bankers, lawyers and spin doctors keen to help them launder their reputations as well as their fortunes.

  The Times remarks: “There is no question that all these men have close links to, and indeed owe their fortunes to, the Kremlin and their relationship with President Putin. That they have been able to continue to enjoy and even grow their fortunes in Britain, with all the protections available in this country that Russia is seeking to deny the people of Ukraine, has rightly provoked considerable anger. In Mr Abramovich’s case the abuse of those protections included hiring expensive lawyers to intimidate journalists who dared to pry into his dealings.”  

 The blowback from Putin’s  attack has also hastened a long-awaited Economic Crime Bill intent on introducing much-needed transparency into the ownership of British property and English-registered companies.

Pluto in Capricorn finally sweeping out some financial muck.

 Abramovitch, 24 October 1966, is a Sun Scorpio conjunct Venus in a lucky square to Jupiter in Leo, with Uranus Pluto in Virgo opposition Saturn, sextile/trine Neptune Mercury in Scorpio – charming, determined, slippery.  Tr Neptune is in a highly-strung opposition to his Uranus exactly now and in an uncertain, panicky conjunction to his Saturn from the middle of this month on for a few weeks – and both these influences run into 2023. He also has tr Pluto making a pressured square to his Venus and then Sun between 2022 to 2024, which will change his life out of all recognition. He has some ups ahead as well as downs – these guys didn’t get to where they are by being unresourceful – and he’s no doubt tucked some goodies away somewhere for a rainy day.

Oleg Deripaska, an aluminium, steel making and mining investor, 2 January 1968, is a Sun Mercury in Capricorn square a self-reliant Saturn in Aries and in a lucky trine to Jupiter. He has a Yod of Pluto sextile Neptune inconjunct Mars in determined Aquarius, so no slouch when it comes to exerting his will. His chart looks more rattled than Abramovitch’s ahead – though both are without birth times so Abramovitch could be in worse shape than he appears. Deripaska looks flattened, devastated and knocked totally sideways in 2023/24.

  Alisher Usmanov, 9 September 1953, metal, mining and investments, has been sanctioned by the EU and USA. He’s a Sun Virgo, with Saturn Neptune in Libra square Uranus, and trine Jupiter, sextile Mars Pluto – ruthless, lucky, never gives up. He’s sagging badly this year but like Deripaska looks in more trouble by 2023/24.

Igor Sechin, 7 September 1960, chairman of the Russian state oil company Rosneft, is a Sun Pluto in Virgo with an unbudgeable Pluto trine Saturn sextile Neptune; and a risk-taking, opportunistic Jupiter opposition Mars in Gemini square Mercury. His morale and confidence are on a fast downhill slide this year with tr Neptune square his Mars and Jupiter as his fortune freezes. He’ll be in a ferocious battle with insurmountable obstacles in 2023 to 2026, which he’ll attack with vigour but progress will be spasmodic.

Andrey Kostin, chairman of VTB state owned bank, 21 September 1956, has been under sanction by the US since 2018 and now the UK. He’s yet another Virgo with an unyielding, tough Pluto square Saturn in Scorpio and an opportunistic Mars opposition Jupiter.  Devastated and depressed in 2022/23 with his life turned upside down in 2023/24.

  Summarising – clearly undermined this year but the major debacles for most occur in 2023 or 2024. Which would fit with Putin toppling over then.

The Endurance, the lost vessel of Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton, one of the great undiscovered shipwrecks, has been located 107 years later in 3 kms (10,000 feet) of water. The Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition set out to make the first land crossing of Antarctica. But the ship was crushed by sea-ice and sank in 1915, forcing Shackleton and his men to make an astonishing escape on foot and in small boats.

  Built in Norway and launched on 17 December 1912 it was thought to be one of the strongest wooden ships ever built, and had 27 crew plus a stowaway, 69 dogs and one cat. Within a few weeks a gale pushed the ice floes hard against one another and the ship was stuck – “frozen like an almond in the middle of a chocolate bar”, according to a crew member. After nine months of being stuck, they abandoned ship, planning to march across the ice to land but that became impossible so they camped on the ice flo and the following April, with the ice broken, they took to the lifeboats, rowing to Elephant Island, a remote and uninhabited outcrop. The men were exhausted, some afflicted by sea sickness, others convulsed with dysentery. “At least half the party were insane,” wrote Frank Wild, Shackleton’s second in command.

  It was the first time the men had stood on solid ground in almost 500 days. After nine days of recuperation, Shackleton and a few others took one of the boats another 800 miles (1,300km) across rough seas and in biting winds to South Georgia. It took 16 days to reach their destination. They then had to cross peaks and glaciers to reach a whaling station on the other side of the island. In August, after several failed attempts, a rescue party set out for Elephant Island, where the remaining 22 crewmen were waiting. All survived.

   Less than five years later Shackleton launched a new expedition but died of a heart attack in South Georgia, aged 47.

  What is intriguing astrologically about the Endurance launch on 17 December 1912 is a markedly super-confident Sun Jupiter in Sagittarius opposition Pluto and on the focal point of a Yod inconjunct Saturn sextile Neptune. It does reek of overwheening pride and self-assurance as if it possessed an almost magical power to overcome the elements and be invincible. Jupiter Pluto on its own brooks no restrictions on its ambitions, plus an apex Sun which can find difficulty balancing pride and common sense. Too much ego not enough humility. And the planet opposition a Yod focal point is particularly sensitive which in this case is Pluto. When it sank the transiting North Node was exactly square the Pluto; with the transiting Sun in Scorpio opposition Saturn on one leg of the Yod.

   Which isn’t to diminish the astonishing courage and endurance of Shackleton and his men. He was born 15 February 1874 5am Kildare, Ireland. He had his Sun conjunct Venus as well as Moon Saturn in Aquarius, making him curious as well as stubborn. His Pluto square his Sun Venus would double up on his immoveable streak. He wouldn’t give up easy. His Mars in upfront Aries was in an adventurous opposition to Jupiter and a risk-taking trine to Uranus. His Moon Saturn opposed his 8^th house Uranus squaring onto a Taurus North Node.

   His two ‘master number’ harmonics the 11^th and 22^nd are both strong as befits his tenacity and staying power – and his world wide reputation.

More background: Sir Raymond Priestley, the scientist who served on Antarctic expeditions with both Scott and Shackleton, once wrote: “For scientific leadership, give me Scott. For swift and efficient travel, Amundsen. But when you are in a hopeless situation, when there seems no way out, get on your knees and pray for Shackleton.”

 On an earlier expedition in 1907-09 Shackleton’s four-man party  endured incredible hardship to march within 97 miles of the South Pole, which paved the way for Scott and Amundsen to reach the goal only two years later. While he had enough food to stagger to the Pole, he did not have enough to get back and took the decision to turn back in sight of his objective because he was not prepared to risk the lives of his three colleagues. When fame and glory beckoned, he put their safety first.

  He understood the importance of teamwork and all his men were treated equally and he took care of anyone struggling to cope. Scientists shared the same chores with sailors and sailors helped take scientific readings. When the winter clothing was distributed, he ensured the crew were supplied before the officers and during one horrendous boat journey he gave his mittens to a desperate colleague.

  The better side of Aquarius.

Add on:  His wife, Emily, 15 May 1868, was an important part of her husband’s work and used her social connections to generate the practical and financial support required for his expeditions. In her husband’s absence, Emily raised their family alone and lived on her independent income. After his death she worked to preserve and enhance his memory as well as becoming involved with the Girl Guides. He left her with debts, approximately £1.5 million in modern terms and she relied heavily on philanthropic support. During her latter years she lived in a grace-and-favour apartment in Hampton Court, granted to her by King George V.

 She was a stalwart Sun, Mercury and Pluto in Taurus with a freedom-loving Venus Uranus square Jupiter.  Her Jupiter was conjunct his Mars so she’d be a great morale booster and encourager for him. Her Aquarius/Pisces Moon may have been conjunct his Sun for a strong joint purpose. The relationship chart had a turbo-charged and argumentative composite Sun Mars with Sun square a supportive Jupiter and square a dutiful Saturn.

  She was 36 when they married and with an independent income so a semi-detached relationship may well have suited her. It was certainly one-sided and hard work but for a woman of that era may well not have been the worst choice.

 He was certainly not gifted with interpersonal skills when it came to emotional or domestic relationships with his Aquarius Moon conjunct Saturn opposition Uranus and Pluto in the 4^th.

She once remarked of him: “One must not chain down an eagle in a barnyard.”

International Women’s Day this year was marked by the bombing of a maternity hospital in Ukraine, which hardly bears thinking about. The goddess Hera, protector of pregnant women and childbirth, usually associated with the lunar sign Cancer, must be ready to throw down thunderbolts.

  Looking back to warrior women of the past who fought to give women more power and freedom in the suffragette and early feminist movements, they come in all shapes and sizes.

 Emmeline Pankhurst, 15 July 1856 9.30pm Manchester, England, was a militant activist leading the charge to get women the vote. She was a Sun Cancer in a talented and healing Water Grand Trine to Mars in ultra-determined Scorpio trine Neptune, formed into a wide Kite by Neptune opposition a Virgo Moon – making the Virgo Moon her leading planet. She also had an unyielding Pluto square Saturn.

Emily Davison, 11 October 1872 12.30am London, another militant activist, was arrested on nine occasions, went on hunger strike seven times and was force-fed. Her tactics included breaking windows, throwing stones, setting fire to postboxes, planting bombs. She died after being hit by King George V’s horse Anmer at the 1913 Derby when she walked onto the track during the race. She was a Sun Libra opposition an idealistic Neptune; with her Pluto in a rules-don’t-apply, super-confident square to Jupiter and a wide opposition to Venus in Scorpio; and a rebellious Moon in Aquarius opposition Uranus. Not always sensible but she made her mark.

 Another Sun Libra opposition Neptune was Edith Rigby, 18 October 1872 5.30am, an arsonist, much imprisoned as she fought for her suffragette beliefs, a Rudolph Steiner advocate as well. She also had a passionate Venus in Scorpio opposition Pluto Moon in Taurus in a confident and showy square to Jupiter in Leo.

 Helen Crawfurd, 9 November 1877 4pm Glasgow, a Scottish suffragette and communist activist, had a determined Scorpio Sun opposition Pluto and trine a hard-edged Mars Saturn in Pisces. She also had an Earth/Fire Grand Trine of Neptune trine Venus Jupiter in Capricorn trine Uranus in late Leo. Her Uranus was in a revolutionary’s square to Pluto. Her upbringing looks tough which would make her fight for the underdog. 

  Susan Anthony, 15 February 1820, an American suffragette and anti-slavery campaigner, had a Sun Jupiter in Aquarius sextile Uranus Neptune conjunction which is turn squared a passionate Venus Pluto in Pisces.

  What isn’t surprising across the charts are strong Plutos, especially in aspect to Venus; and high confidence from Jupiter. Less expected is a Neptunian theme across most – many of these women were not only idealistic but had strong religious beliefs.

  If there is a difference between the suffragettes and the later feminists Like Gloria Steinem, Betty Friedan and Germaine Greer, it’s a sense that the later generation were less emotional (Water signs) and more cerebral (Air signs). The feminists relied on words and communication, not actions to get their message across. Steinem has an assertive, go-ahead Sun Mars in Aries with a revolutionary T square of Pluto square Uranus and in a confident square to Jupiter; plus Venus Saturn in Aquarius.

  Friedan had an Aquarius Sun opposition Neptune with an emotionally intense Moon opposition Pluto square Venus. Greer has an Aquarius Sun opposition Pluto square Moon Uranus in Taurus.  

  Overall what is needed for an activist is a burning sense of injustice for the underdog, confidence, courage and undentable determination.

Pluto sign changeovers are spotlighted in Russian history again and again, and regrettably in significant wars elsewhere as well.

 Catherine the Great took over the Russian throne in 1762 when Pluto was in final degree Sagittarius and ruled to powerful effect through Pluto in Capricorn and Aquarius, dying as Pluto was poised to moved into Pisces in 1797.

 In 1853 as Pluto moved into Taurus the Crimea War broke out between Russia and a coalition of UK, France and the Ottoman Empire. In 1881 Alexander 11 of Russia (liberator of serfs) was killed by a bomb as Pluto prepared to exit Taurus for Gemini the following year.  

1914 as Pluto moved into Cancer was the start of World War 1 which saw Austria-Hungary invade Russia. The next shift in 1938 of Pluto into Leo saw the build up to World War 11. In 1956 the Pluto move into Virgo coincided with the Soviet invasion of Hungary to quell the revolution there. Krushchev denounced Stalin.

  There’s not much obvious for Pluto into Libra in 1971 and into Scorpio in 1983. But Pluto into Sagittarius in 1995 saw the First Chechen War, starting the year before. Wiki: ‘Despite Russia’s overwhelming advantages in firepower, manpower, weaponry, artillery, combat vehicles, airstrikes and air support, the resulting widespread demoralization of federal forces and the almost universal opposition of the Russian public to the conflict led Boris Yeltsin’s government to declare a ceasefire with the Chechens in 1996.’

 In 2008 as Pluto entered Capricorn, the Russian-Georgia War erupted over South Ossettia, regarded as the first European war of the 21st century.

Looking back over two centuries of Pluto changeovers is a blitzing experience since the world appears to be in constant conflict somewhere with wars, disasters and mayhem on a monthly basis. Extrapolating a pattern and not drowning in noise isn’t easy. But I’m not sure how we were lulled into a sense of false security in thinking that wars were in the past, never to be repeated.

Pluto into Aquarius 1778. The American War of Independence (1775 – 1783). The Anglo-French War (1778 to 1783), European super powers squabbling over  colonial territories, aided the US, brought an end to the First British Empire.

Pluto into Pisces  1797. The 1790s were anti-imperialist as new American and French democracies flourished. Napoleon Bonaparte was on military campaigns aiming for First Consul of France from 1799.

Pluto into Aries 1823. Napoleon dies in 1821 – what rises on one often falls on the next or the one after that in the case of Catherine. 1823 also saw the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire.

Pluto into Taurus 1853. The 2^nd French Empire, with Napoleon 111 becoming French Emperor. Rebellions in China. The Crimea War (1854 to 1856.)

Pluto into Gemini 1882. The Anglo-Egyptian War with Britain seizing the Suez Canal and Egypt becoming a Brit protectorate

Pluto into Gemini 1881. Alexander 11 of Russia killed by bomb.

Pluto into Cancer 1914. World War 1. Austria-Hungary invades Russia.

Pluto into Leo 1938. Spanish Civil War running since 1936, build up to World War 11. Sino-Japanese War 1937 to 45.

Pluto into Virgo 1956.  Suez Crisis – UK and France bomb Egypt and have to withdraw in humiliation after international outrage. Israel invades Sinai. Soviet Red Army troops invade Hungary. Vietnam War starts. The EEC founded 1957.

Pluto into Libra 1971. India-Pakistan War. Northern Ireland Troubles – 1972 Bloody Sunday. Vietnam winding down. Watergate

Pluto into Scorpio 1983 Beginning of the internet.

Falklands War 1982. Lebanon War, Israel invades.

Pluto into Sagittarius 1995. First Chechen War.  The Srebrenica massacre in the Bosnian War (1992 to 1995)led to the NATO bombing campaign against Bosnian Serb artillery positions. The Dayton Agreement brings it to an end in December 1995.

Pluto into Capricorn 2008. The financial crash. Gaza War. The Russo-Georgian War over South Ossettia.

  The final degrees of Pluto in a sign, far from overseeing stagnation appear to trigger major conflicts – with some countries more susceptible than others. After a rapid skim through, in addition to Russia – Egypt, Pakistan, Bangladesh and France as well as the UK appear to be more prone than most to be involved in scraps.

See also post on how Pluto highlights the flavour of each sign with additional events connected, November 22 2021.

And post September 11 2021 for previous Pluto in Aquarius.

As the Russian invasion of Ukraine gets bogged down in logistical failures with the military convoy heading for Kyiv stuck and Ukrainian resistance proving more effective than Putin expected, the question is what comes next? Longer range missiles are being hauled in with destructive potential but even Putin must see he doesn’t have the manpower for a post-attack occupation force able to suppress a hostile population. Will he be toppled? 70% of Russians evidently (unbelievably) support the Ukraine War, though that might change as body bags come home and sanctions bite – which won’t happen quickly. His security coterie and oligarchs are unlikely to rise up and he has unpicked the old system of balances, becoming a solo autocrat.

  William Hague suggests today in The Times that Xi Jinping is the only one with any leverage and it would be in to China’s benefit to do so. “A long war is going to rejuvenate the West, strengthen Taiwan and cause Russia to implode. China’s interests lie in shortening it dramatically.”

   Xi Jinping’s 2^nd Term chart, 24 October 2017 12.30pm Beijing, is generally lucky with a Sun Jupiter conjunction – but is in a year of considerable unrest as the Uranus opposition to the Sun closes to exact this year; tr Pluto is in a destabilizing square to the Uranus and tr Neptune is in a confused, uncertain square to the Saturn from March 19^th (this month) onwards, on and off till early 2023. March 13th to April 2^nd, and again in January 2023, there’s a car-crash setback, maybe involving military decisions. 2024 will be successful as well as littered with calamities, considerable mishaps and road blocks. Nothing too clear about any of that except it will be a time of churning change.

  Putin’s 4^th Term chart, 7 May 2018 11.05 am Moscow, has the same irksome mix of some undeserved luck alongside disappointments and losses. Mid this month to early April looks jittered, uncertain, not coping; and later in the year, as mentioned previously, from August the frustrating, trapped tr Pluto conjunct Mars followed by a maybe topple-off-perch tr Pluto square Uranus in 2023/2024.

 What is eye-catching is tr Uranus conjunct the Putin Term 16 degree Taurus Sun May 28^th to June 17, and again November and March 2023 – that suggests a sharp change of direction, perhaps forced. But it also coincides with tr Uranus square the 10^th house NATO Pluto, pointing to a turnaround in policy and disruption. There may even be military skirmish late April into May with tr Uranus square the NATO Mars/Saturn midpoint, with hints of minor losses following.

  A good many of the charts of countries and entities in the area also have key Fixed planets around 15 to 17 degrees which are all being rattled from now onwards by tr Uranus in hard aspect into 2023, suggesting an escalation rather than a decrease in tension and reactions.

 Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Moldova, Finland, Sweden, Poland, Hungary and Russia all look on high alert in varying stages at the moment or in the weeks ahead. As does the Ukraine 1991 chart.

 Some of his inner circle are also in the line of fire of Uranus in mid Taurus – Lavrov, Patrushev, Shoigu, Gerasimov and clearly Zelensky.  

  As well as the EU with Venus at 15 Aquarius, Germany with Pluto at 17 Taurus and the UK with Venus at 16 Aquarius and Neptune at 18 Scorpio (part of that will be the financial knock on.) The China 1912 and 1949 charts equally are being knocked around by tr Uranus conjunct Saturn on one and square the Mars Pluto on the other from now through into early 2023.

   None of which gives much clarity or any definitive answers except the unrest will drag on.

   Of minor astrological interest is Putin’s initial Presidency chart, 31 December 1999, which kicked off his reign of terror on a Saturn in Taurus square Uranus in Aquarius. He’s being jolted into fulfilling his earlier authoritarian zeal. If one assume this chart represents his presidential reign – then this year is jangled and sagging, with a few triumphs, and the dissolution comes in 16 months with two Neptunian Solar Arcs. Though that could trigger earlier. But best guesses is he won’t go until 2023.

  Why is the world in such turmoil with not only Eastern Europe on the edge but a global food shortage looming as well as a global energy and financial crisis?  Saturn square Uranus can’t be all of it since it rattles round every so often. Gearing up for a Pluto shift into a new sign must be a major part of it as it heads for Aquarius in 2023? A momentous event, only occurring every fifteen to twenty years.

The change-of-sign years do tend to be turbulent as they pull down the old established order and oversee significant changes of political alignment, sometimes war. The tectonic plates shift. Previous Pluto changes were in 2008, 1984, 1971/72, 1957, and 1939, 1914 as well as the Crimea War of 1853.  

What can be said to keep anxiety levels down? Anything sounds trite in the face of the danger and deprivation the Ukrainians are facing. But Britain survived the blitz and the IRA, and Europe survived the nazis. Though the poor Iraqis hardly survived the US/UK assault, ditto Palestinians, Tibetans, Uighurs, Rohingyans etc etc, never mind the Syrians or Yemenis. The world and humankind never seems to learn.