This morning, two scenes played out in Europe: i) children clutching suitcases as sirens blared and bombs rained down on Kyiv, ii) city workers got coffee and pupils ran for the bus as normal in Berlin.

Newspaper headlines around are declaring an impending catastrophe. Some mention the start of World War Three.

Here are eight ways war in Ukraine could directly affect us all: 

1. Deaths. Today, 44 million people live in Ukraine. As many as 4.6 million Ukrainians live abroad, and others have ties to the country. Tragedies on the streets of Kyiv will send shockwaves around the world.

2. Democracy, sovereignty and rule of law. Russia's invasion of Ukraine is a challenge to the global order. The idea that a democratic European nation could be invaded, without provocation, by a neighbour in the 21st Century is shocking. 

3. Global instability. Most people in the West have only known stability. We take for granted the UN and NATOThe North Atlantic Treaty Organisation was founded in 1949 to unite Western democracies in Europe and North America against the perceived growing threat of the USSR. It now has 31 members.. Our understanding of war comes from books and documentaries. This could change. 

4. Cyberattacks. The modern world is dependent on software and computer networks. Russian hackers could shut down transport networks, cash points, newspapers and government websites.

5. Food and energy prices. Russia supplies 40% of Europe's gas and is one of the largest oil producers. Germany has halted development of the Nord Stream 2A pipeline able to carry 55 billion cubic metres of gas per year from Russia to Germany under the Baltic Sea.  pipeline. Any disruption to the flow of oil and gas could cause energy prices to skyrocket. Ukraine is one of the world's major grain producers. If production stops, the price of food will inevitably rise.

6. Refugees. Several million people could leave Ukraine if fighting continues. The West has already been tested by one migrant crisis this century. The arrival of thousands of refugees could stretch resources even further. 

7. A new Soviet Union. Vladimir Putin seems determined to rebuild the USSRThe United Socialist Soviet Republic, the USA's main rival in the Cold War before it collapsed and broke up into a number of smaller states in 1991.. The last Russian empire saw labour camps, brutal repression and Europe divided by a wall.

8. World War Three. For now, Ukraine's allies are not directly involved in the fighting. But some say we are entering a new age of nuclear anxiety. Russian missiles parked in KaliningradA Russian exclave detached from the rest of Russia on the Baltic Sea. could reach Berlin in seven minutes. This is the worst-case scenario, but it is one playing on the minds of many people. The start of World War Three is not impossible.

Yes: The fate of Ukraine is about more than just the future of one country. It affects the peace and stability of the entirety of Europe and beyond. It is clear: war in Ukraine impacts everyone.

No: Ukrainians must worry about bombs. But thousands of miles from the frontline, life will continue largely as normal. It is highly unlikely Western nations will be drawn into direct conflict. 

Or... There is no doubt: this war is a tragedy for the people of Ukraine. But unfortunately, fighting is not unusual in the world today. This war is unlikely to affect us more than any other conflict.