That politics in Russia is a blood sport becomes clearer by the day. Vladimir Kara-Murza, a prominent Putin critic, who was in Russia promoting a film about Boris Nemtsov, a liberal opposition politician who was assassinated in 2015, has been taken ill with suspected toxic poisoning. This is a recurrence of an earlier organ collapse two years ago when he succumbed to the same symptoms. At present he’s in a medically induced coma.
And Alexi Navalny Russia’s main opposition leader, has been today found guilty of embezzlement and handed a five-year suspended sentence. It bars him from running for president next year against Putin. He has vowed to take part in the race regardless. He denies the charges and says he will appeal against the verdict.
His conviction came in a retrial after the European Court of Human Rights ruled the first trial to be unfair. He is known for his anti-corruption campaign, which targeted senior officials close to the Kremlin. He says the case against him is an effort to keep him out of politics.
Kara-Murza born 7 Sept 1971 Moscow, is a Sun Venus Virgo, with his Uranus conjunct Putin’s Libra Sun and Saturn – so a rebel versus the old guard. He doesn’t look great ahead with tr Neptune opposition his Sun; and his Solar Arc Mars moving to oppose his Pluto. He may not survive as Livtinenko didn’t, dying of polonium radiation in London in 2005; or the long term effects of the poisoning will stall his life.
Navalny, 4 June 1976 has a Sun Venus in Gemini which is also catching the transiting Neptune hard aspects through the next year, lowering his morale and ability to be pro-active. His Pluto is conjunct Putin’s Sun and his Uranus is conjunct Putin’s Ascendant (9.30am birth time). Their relationship chart has a trapped tr Pluto square the composite Mars over 2017/18 so bitter hostility, even more intense than usual.
These are brave men.
Very brave men.