This morning, two scenes played out across Europe: i) children clutching suitcases sheltered in subway stations as sirens blared and bombs rained down on the outskirts of Kyiv, ii) city workers queued at coffee stands and pupils ran for the school bus as life continued as normal in Berlin.

Newspaper headlines around the world are declaring an impending global catastrophe. Some even mention the start of World War Three. But for many, there is still a sense of dreamlike unreality. 

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

1. Deaths. Today, 44 million people live in Ukraine. But as many as 4.6 million Ukrainians live abroad, and many more people around the globe have ties to the country. Individual 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 clear challenge to the global order that has allowed liberal democracies to flourish since the end of World War Two. The idea that a democratic European nation could be invaded, without provocation, by a neighbour in the 21st Century is shocking. Yet it has happened. 

3. Global instability. Most people in the West today have only ever known stability and peace. We take for granted the institutions that dominate global politics, from the UN to 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 soon change. 

4. Cyberattacks. The modern world is dependent on software and computer networks. Many are insecure. Russian hackers could shut down transport networks, cash points, newspapers and government websites. Meanwhile, a social media misinformation campaign could target Western leaders. 

5. Food and energy prices. Russia supplies 40% of Europe's gas and is one of the largest oil producers worldwide. Already, 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 global energy prices to skyrocket. Moreover, Ukraine is one of the world's major grain-producing regions. If production stops in the "breadbasket of Europe", the price of the food on our supermarket shelves 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 more 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 forced labour camps, brutal repression and Europe divided by a giant wall. Nobody wants to see the return of the Iron CurtainA political, military and ideological barrier dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War Two until the end of the Cold War in 1991. . 

8. World War Three. For now, Ukraine's allies are not directly involved in the fighting. But many remain worried. 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 ordinary people. The start of World War Three is unlikely, but 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.