Alex's Asteroid Astrology

On Thursday, 24 February 2022, at approximately 5 AM local time, Vladimir Putin’s Russian Army invaded Ukraine, accelerating a process of intimidation and aggression that had begun eight years before with the illegal occupation and annexation of Crimea, and had continued with support for separatist movements in Ukraine’s easternmost sectors, bordering Russia, specifically portions of the oblasts of Donetsk and Luhansk, in the Donbass region.  Since the beginning of the year, a series of planetary stations had reflected the inexorable march to war, eight cosmic turning points which built upon each other like tumblers in a lock, eventually unleashing the conflict.

The sequence began on January 3^rd, but was preceded by a month-long square between eponymous asteroids Russia and Ukraina, setting the stage of tension and conflict between them, during which time Putin began his build-up of military near the Ukraine border.  Largely in response to this, US President Joe Biden in Washington made a phone call to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on January 2^nd, to express solidarity and support.

This immediately preceded the first of eight critical planetary stations, analogous to the Catholic “stations of the cross”, which depict Christ’s final journey to his crucifixion, just as these celestial markers prefigured Ukraine’s crucifixion on the cross of war.  What follows is a chronologic list of the stations, with brief summaries of terrestrial events relating to Ukraine’s ordeal which clustered about them.

STATION ONE:  ZELINSKY SR 10 VIRGO 1/3/22

(Representing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky)

Asteroid Zelinksy stations retrograde January 3, 2022; on January 2, US President Joe Biden reaches out to Zelensky in a phone call to Kiev, to reaffirm US and allies’ support for Ukraine, stating they will “respond decisively” to any further Russian aggression.  (Asteroid Bida at 26 Cancer is semisquare asteroid Zelinsky at 10 Virgo, with Bida also exactly sextile asteroid Kiev at 26 Taurus, while asteroids Washingtonia and Volodymyr conjoin at 0 and 9 Scorpio, and asteroid Whitehouse squares from 0 Aquarius.)

STATION TWO:  KIEV SD 26 TAURUS 1/13/22

(Representing Ukrainian capital Kyiv, former anglicized spelling)

Asteroid Kiev stations direct January 13, 2022; on January 10, the US and Russia hold bilateral talks about the situation in Ukraine; on January 12 a meeting of the NATO-Russia Council is held in Brussels to address concerns.  Russia deems both meetings “unsuccessful.”  On January 14, Ukraine experiences a massive cyberattack on government websites, including the foreign ministry; Russian hackers are suspected.  The sites were blocked with images of crossed-out Ukrainian flags and maps of the nation, with the message, “Ukrainians! … All information about you has become public.  Be afraid and expect worse.  It’s your past, present and future.”  (Asteroid Kiev at 26 Taurus conjoins TNO Sedna at 28 Taurus, symbolizing its growing isolation; opposing asteroid Karma at 20 Scorpio, representing a fated event or time period, and asteroid Atlantis at 29 Scorpio, indicating a sense of being “flooded” or overwhelmed; exactly squared Damocles at 26 Aquarius, the impending doom; and exactly trine Pluto at 26 Capricorn, an existential crisis.)

STATION THREE:  UKRAINA SD 24 GEMINI  2/8/22

(Point named for Ukraine)

Asteroid Ukraina stations direct February 8, 2022; on February 5, the first of 2,000 newly deployed US soldiers to Europe arrived in Germany and Poland, as part of the US attempt to bolster NATO’s eastern flank as Russia deploys more forces along Ukraine’s borders.  On February 7, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Britain would not “flinch” as he prepared to deploy Royal Marines, RAF aircraft, and Royal Navy warships to eastern Europe; also on February 7, French President Emmanuel Macron travels for talks in Moscow w/Putin; and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz travels to DC for talks w/Biden.  On February 8, Canada urges citizens to leave Ukraine, followed by UK, Germany and others.  (Asteroid Ukraina at 24 Gemini conjoins centaur Asbolus at 24 Gemini, suggesting tapping into the spirit of the times, and TNO Chaos at 27 Gemini, indicating increasing destabilization; inconjunct Mercury with Pluto at 25 and 27 Capricorn, reflecting the flurry of talks between the powers concerned.)

STATION FOUR:  AMERICA SD 4 CANCER 2/14/22

(Representing the United States)

Asteroid America stations direct February 14, 2022; on February 11, Biden warns Americans to leave Ukraine “immediately”; and warns Putin in a phone call that invading Ukraine would cause “widespread human suffering.”  Also on February 11, the US announced additional deployment of 3,000 troops to Poland and sent F-15 jets to Romania.  (Asteroid America at 4 Cancer conjoins asteroid Moskva at 1 Cancer and opposes asteroid Putilin (for Putin) at 7 Capricorn, sesquiquadrate asteroid Romania at 20 Aquarius.)

STATION FIVE:  EUROPA SR 23 LIBRA 2/15/22

(Representing Europe, named for the mythic Greek character who gave the continent its name)

Asteroid Europa stations retrograde February 15, 2022 (Europa symbolizes the European Union as well as NATO); on February 15, Russia announces a partial troop withdrawal from drills near Ukraine, suggesting that an invasion may not be imminent; also on February 15, the Russian parliament’s lower chamber, the State Duma, adopted a resolution calling for diplomatic recognition of two self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics, breakaway states on Ukraine’s eastern border already partially occupied by Russian troops since 2014; on February 16, the White House disputes Russia’s claims of troop withdrawal and says Moscow has increased its force at the border by 7,000 troops.  (Asteroid Europa at 23 Libra exactly conjoins asteroid Russia at 23 Libra, also conjunct asteroid Donbass at 24 Libra, named for the Ukrainian region which comprises the oblasts (administrative districts) of Donetsk and Luhansk; opposed TNO Eris at 23 Aries, symbol of strife and division, known to the Greeks as “the nurse of war”, and asteroid Dumas at 25 Aries (for the Russian Duma); squared Mars at 16 Capricorn and Pluto at 27 Capricorn, associated respectively with war and destruction; trine Ukraina at 25 Gemini.)

STATION SIX:  MOSKVA SD 1 CANCER  2/18/22

(Representing Moscow, capital of Russia, the Russian spelling)

Asteroid Moskva stations direct on 18 February 2022; on February 18, the Russian military announces it will conduct drills of its strategic nuclear forces; on February 19, Russian strategic nuclear forces hold exercises overseen by Putin.  (Asteroid Moskva at 1 Cancer conjoins asteroid America at 4 Cancer, asteroid Ukraina at 25 Gemini and TNO Chaos at 27 Gemini, indicating further breakdown of conditions with Ukraine and the US; asteroid Putilin (for Putin) at 8 Capricorn opposes asteroid Moskva at 1 Cancer and is semisquare asteroid Nuki (for nuclear weapons, commonly called “nukes”) at 22 Aquarius.)

STATION SEVEN:  DONBASS SR 25 LIBRA  2/21/22

(Named for the region of eastern Ukraine bordering Russia)

Asteroid Donbass turns retrograde on 21 February 2022; on February 21, Putin gives a speech decrying the events in Ukraine, where he claims genocide of Russian-speaking populations is occurring, and blames the West and Ukraine for tensions.  He then signed a decree recognizing two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine as independent entities, known as the so-called “Donetsk People’s Republic” (DNR) and the “Luhansk People’s Republic” (LNR).  Putin ordered Russian troops (including tanks) to be sent into Donbas, in what Russia called a “peacekeeping mission”.  Shortly afterwards, U.S. President Biden responded by announcing he will sign an executive order that will impose sanctions prohibiting new investment, trade and financing by US persons to, from, or in the so-called DNR and LNR regions.  (Asteroid Donbass at 25 Libra conjoins asteroids Russia and Europa at 23 Libra, opposed TNO Eris at 23 Aries, squared Mars with Pluto at 20 and 27 Capricorn, trine Ukraina at 25 Gemini.)

STATION EIGHT:  RUSSIA SR 24 LIBRA  2/28/22

(Eponym of Russia)

Asteroid Russia turned retrograde on 28 February 2022; on February 24, Russian planes, tanks and soldiers cross into Ukraine from north, east and south, with bombardment of the capital Kyiv (Ukrainian spelling of Kiev) and other major cities; the invasion of Ukraine has begun.  On February 26, the US and Eu nations imposed SWIFT bank sanctions on Russia, preventing it from using the financial messaging system.  On February 27, Putin ordered Russian nuclear deterrent forces put on alert in response to what he called “aggressive statements” by leading NATO powers.  By February 28, the Russian ruble hit a record low, worth less than 1 cent US; Russia’s central bank doubled interest rates to more than 20%; the Russian stock market was closed in response.  Also on February 28, Russian and Ukrainian negotiators meet at the Ukraine/Belarus border, as Russian military units advance on Kyiv; oil company giant BP announces it is severing ties with Russian production companies – Shell follows suit on March 1. (Asteroid Russia at 24 Libra conjoins asteroids Europa at 22 Libra and Donbass at 24 Libra, opposed TNO Eris at 23 Aries and squared Mars with Pluto at 25 and 27 Capricorn, trine asteroid Ukraina at 26 Gemini.)

The invasion began at approximately 5:00 AM EET, and a chart cast for that hour in Kyiv well reflects the circumstances.  Rising on the east on the 18 Capricorn Ascendant is asteroid Putilin, our celestial referent for Vladmir Putin, which at 9 Capricorn conjoins centaur Pholus at 7 Capricorn, noted for mass deaths by whatever cause.  Putilin opposes asteroid Bida, our celestial referent for Joe Biden, setting in the west at 15 Cancer on the 18 Cancer Descendant, as well as asteroids Moskva and America at 1 and 5 Cancer.  Putilin also squares asteroid Kriegh at 2 Aries, a surname approximating the German word “krieg”, meaning war; with Moskva/America, a T-Square is formed.

Vladmir Putin is also seen as asteroid Vladmir, which at 9 Sagittarius conjoins asteroid Karma at 0 Sagittarius, indicating a fated quality to the decision; the Moon at 7 Sag, suggesting an emotional or irrational basis for Putin’s action; and asteroid Guernica at 8 Sagittarius, named for Pablo Picasso’s 1937 painting depicting the horrors of war.  This cluster opposes asteroid Kiev, named for the Ukrainian capital, at 1 Gemini, in a T-Square with asteroid Zelinsky at 1 Virgo on the fulcrum, for the Ukrainian president.  The Sun at 5 Pisces brings focus to the situation, creating a Grand Cross.

On the MC, the focus of all eyes, at 22 Scorpio is asteroid Volodymyr at 21 Scorpio, also denoting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, with asteroid Guerin at 25 Scorpio, another surname war referent, closest to French “guerre” and Italian/Spanish/Portuguese “guerra”, meaning war.  These square Saturn conjoined asteroid Toro and Damocles at 18, 24 and 28 Aquarius.  Saturn is oppression and harsh conditions; Toro is bullying, aggressive behaviors; and Damocles represents impending doom. 

The forming T-Square remains in effect, of asteroids Europa, Donbass and Russia at 23, 24 and 25 Libra, opposed TNO Eris, nurse of war, at 23 Aries, with Mars closing in on Pluto at the fulcrum, at 22 and 29 Capricorn, both also conjoined the Ascendant.  This symbolizes overwhelming force and destructive power (Pluto), of a war (Mars) in Europe (Europa), beginning in Donbass (Donbass, where Putin first committed “peacekeeping” troops on the 21^st), creating strife, discord and division (Eris).  

Asteroid Ukraina at 25 Gemini remains conjoined TNO Chaos at 27 Gemini, both sesquiquadrate a pairing of asteroid Nemesis with Mercury at 10 and 11 Aquarius, portraying the likely destabilizing and anarchic effect (Chaos) on the nation (Ukraina) of this decision (Mercury) by their archenemy (Nemesis) to invade.   Squared Nemesis/Mercury and semisquare Ukraina/Chaos is Uranus at 11 Taurus, with asteroid Bomben at 12 Taurus.  Uranus describes the controversy engendered by the decision, while also ruling explosions of all kinds, from rifle fire to nuclear detonations, as well as aircraft, with Bomben an allusion to the aerial bombings of Ukrainian cities which began almost immediately.  Pholus/Putilin and Uranus/Bomben make a wide Grand Trine with asteroid Gunn at 17 Virgo, another reference to the weapons of war.  A Kite pattern created by Gunn’s opposition to Jupiter at 12 Pisces indicates the escalation of the sporadic border fighting over the past few years into a full-scale war. Ukraina also squares Neptune at 22 Pisces, conjoined asteroid Banks at 18 Pisces. This depicts the despair and confusion – the “fog of war”, if you will – experienced by the Ukrainian people, but also the possibility of their salvation (Neptune-ruled) via the intercession of the financial sanctions (Banks).

Severe economic sanctions were imposed by the US, NATO allies and others in the immediate aftermath of the invasion, but Putin has spent years walling off his personal assets and building up his country’s cash reserves, anticipating just such intervention.  Early indicators are that the sanctions may be sending the Russian economy into a tailspin, and public opinion internally has been surprisingly negative toward the war, with demonstrations in many cities, though whether either of these factors will influence Putin’s conduct going forward is unknown. 

Similarly, resistance in Ukraine has been stronger than expected, with a Russian offensive on Kharkiv, its second city, beaten back.  A state of martial law bans all males age 18-60 from leaving the country, and calls upon them to fight; ordinary citizens are following government online instructions on assembling such homemade weapons as Molotov cocktails in anticipation of street-by-street combat.  Meanwhile, Ukraine continues to suffer.