Ukraine protests escalate again.

Ukraine is back in the news as a night of violence erupted in the capital city Kiev. Protesters still camped in Independence Square in the heart of the city clashed with riot police as they tried to get to the Parliamentary building after Viktor Yanukovych the Ukraine President enacted new laws designed to restrict basic public freedoms.

These new laws come as a very potent Jupiter Pluto opposition is taking hold in the skies above us. Pluto rules power and constriction and Jupiter is the legal planet and you will see that Pluto is now sitting on the midpoint between the natal Ukrainian Neptune the planet of the collective and Uranus the planet of protest. The powers and controls (Pluto) given through these new laws (Jupiter) will be very restrictive on the freedoms (Uranus) of anyone who wishes rebellion and a change of administration (Uranus in Capricorn) causing suffering and sacrifices (Neptune). 

Mars the planet of force and action has now got to 19 degrees Libra and this degree is square to the Ukraine Nodal Axis on the 1991 independence chart, indicating the destiny of the country. Normally I would not expect this to be so significant but seeing that there is this battle of wills going on in Ukraine, the conditions are ripe for Mars to be a very disruptive influence fanning the flames of discontent. Keep an eye on Mars and it's movements over the next few months as we have it turning retrograde later this Spring thus Mars will hit this degree twice more. Mars returns on April 7th and 8th and again on July 3rd until 5th. Tension may rise yet again on or around these dates.

Venus now retrograde has also moved onto the Ukraine natal Moon in the 12th house of suffering, with the Moon (via Cancer) ruling the 6th house of the national services (including the army and the the police) and the 7th house of open enemies to the administration. Venus itself rules the 4th house of the opposition parties (via Taurus) and the 9th (via Libra) of international affairs, beliefs and wisdom.

There is a philosophical battle of wills going on here between those in the governing parties who want closer ties to Russia and the East and much of the population who want to cement relations between Ukraine and the EU and the West. The Astrology really bares this conflict out is now inflaming tensions that have been bubbling for a while now.