Nancy Waterman has a new post up on the recent increase in aggressive activity coming from Russia.  Nancy writes:

Whether the Bear is merely demonstrating a revanchist hunger to increase its sphere of influence or feels threatened by a growing geopolitical and ideological encirclement by western-leaning nations, the situation is dire, with all the cards in Putin’s hands. Not only will the US, still frightened by terrorism above all else, need Russian cooperation to deal with the issue of a nuclear Iran and with the loose nukes that still dot the Russian countryside, but, even more problematic, Russia controls a great deal of the oil and gas that keeps Europe, South Asia, and Israel humming along. Putin has already shown an inclination to wield this as a very effective weapon. As a result, none of the Western nations that have encouraged and befriended Georgia and the Ukraine in their recent reach toward democracy and NATO membership will give any meaningful military support in the face of Russian aggression and risk throwing world energy markets into a devastating turmoil.

Nancy points out that the progressed Sun in the Russian chart has moved into an exact T-square with the square in the national chart (6/12/1990) between Mars and Uranus. (You’ll find my analysis of the Russian chart here.)  Mars in the Russian chart is in its own sign of Aries, where it is unafraid of aggression and combat, and since Mars falls in the seventh house of alliances that aggression is often expressed against Russian allies.  The square from Mars to the fourth house Uranus denotes to me a willingness to sacrifice national security and comfort (fourth house) in order to exhibit a reckless and radical (Uranus) show of power to the allies of Russia in the world.

At the same time, transiting Uranus has just moved into position to square the Sun in the chart of Russia, exacerbating the revolutionary attitudes and the dislike of folllowing the rules of other nations that is already present in the national chart.  The Sun in the chart conjuncts the Midheaven, which in the chart of a nation represents that nation’s government.   This tendency towards radical behavior will become even more pronounced next year when transiting Uranus makes a square to the Midheaven and starts rattling the government itself. 

The US government is attempting to intimidate Russia into ceasing its incursion into South Ossetia (ironically, another oil grab like the US incursion into Iraq).  These kinds of intimidation tactics will not work with a Russia in the throes of such a strong Mars/Uranus influence.  Everyone knows that the last thing you want to do to a growling bear is taunt him!!