this is very, very worrying

As someone born in the 60's, I grew up through the Cold War.  There was a permanent underlying possibility of nuclear war and it was terrifying at times.

Then with the break-up of the Soviet Union that threat just seemingly went away and we could all relax in the resulting stability.

But now, the world has been thrown back into uncertainty and it is worrying and scary in equal measure.  Political and economic sanctions have failed and all-out war in Europe and potentially wider is a very real prospect.

All it will take is for Russian forces to enter one of the NATO countries bordering Ukraine and World War Three will surely become a reality.

Of course, the alternative view is that this is something happening in a small part of Eastern Europe and nothing will come of it.  There is little chance of escalation.

I really feel for younger people.  I recall feeling absolutely terrified at times in the 1980's, and I know my daughter is scared now.  She woke me the other night in tears and shaking having watched a video on the consequences of a nuclear war and it took everything I had to try to reassure her that this would not happen.

I do think that the concept of "mutually assured destruction" will stop any nuclear conflict. Nobody wins a nuclear war.  There will be no "spoils" for the victor - everybody loses.

But even another Cold War or a conventional hot war will have enormous consequences.

Teenagers and young adults have just lived through two years of disruption during what should be the best days of their lives.  Now there's the threat of a war with all the hardship that will bring.  Even if NATO countries are not directly involved in any conflict, sanctions will hit hard on both sides.

Whatever happens over the coming weeks will have serious consequences.  

If Russian forces are beaten back and forced to withdraw (see Afghanistan) then the Puitin regime will inevitably collapse leading to a power vacuum and instability in a massive world power.

If they "win", then what next?