A Finger on the Trigger and One Hand Looming Over Midnight

Please note: names in this article have been replaced in order to protect our contacts.

As we entered 2022, as with each of the last 75 years, the Bulletin of The Atomic Scientists called out how close we are to destroying ourselves — a shameful end to this experience called life, if you ask me. Though, an ending rooted in reality. As the Bulletin puts it:

"The Doomsday Clock is a design that warns the public about how close we are to destroying our world with dangerous technologies of our own making. It is a metaphor, a reminder of the perils we must address if we are to survive on the planet."

Let that marinate. 

One hundred seconds, that's how close we are to creating an end to life as we know it. We're inside the two-minute mark. Are you scared? ‘Cause I am. 

With talks rapidly devolving between Russia and what seems to be "the rest of us," it looks as though a global conflict is imminent. I'm sure we all know the players involved; Russia v. Ukraine, NATO v. Former Soviet States, East v. West. There are many ways to name this title fight, though there is so much more at stake here than the imaginary lines we call borders—people's lives. Real living people. 

I sat down digitally with a friend close to the growing conflict, one of the people whose lives are sitting in the crosshairs. 

Wynonna grew up in Ukraine; she's lived there her entire life. For the most part, she describes her upbringing and circumstances as normal. She says she's never really known anything different. However, this is something that's evolved rapidly in the last few years.

"Since the Russia - Crimea conflict in 2014, there has been an uneasiness coursing through my community. It's like a pressure, the feeling of a glaring set of eyes from across the room." 

Wynonna grew up at the tail end of the Soviet Union; she witnessed its collapse. She remembers the excitement her family felt as they would be able to exist outside of Russia's baggage for the first time in her life. She would later describe the last 30 years since her country's independence from the former union as years lived under a storm cloud.

"As the union dissolved in December [1991], we elected a fool who in turn dissolved our economy. That's a real issue I see in my country. And a long-standing one at that. We've always had issues with leadership, knowing deep down, given a chance, Russia could storm back in, and our government would crumble. Our flawed politicians are at the root of the problem as I see it. We have no backbone."

“Even when pressed to a wall, we are unable to stand up straight."

Particularly interesting to Wynonna's thought is the recent speculation from British intelligence pointing to the Russian plan to install a pro-Russian administration in Ukraine. 

It seems like Russian influence, or at least the fear of it, is nothing new. Am I wrong in thinking that? Wynonna responded: "No, not at all. We've never truly escaped Russia. Independent or not, Ukraine, my Ukraine will always live in the shadow of this bully."

Wynonna went on to describe her stance on the state of her country's relationship with Russia, going on to say the country's incredibly stressed: "It's not always the fear of a physical invasion. It's an emotional invasion. It's the internal war. I have friends and family familiarizing themselves with bomb shelters. What if nothing happens? I mean, I'm not a doctor but believe me, living like this has effects on a person. I'm stressed; we all are. Again, it's the storm cloud on the horizon. You can see it coming, but when will it get here? It's brewing but hasn't boiled." 

So you're a frog in a pot?

"Essentially, yes."

What do you think about the Ukrainian interest in joining NATO? Wynonna paused. "Well, I want to think it will deter Russia from poking around my country, but part of me fears that by joining, we're poking the bear as a collective. Suddenly it's not Russia versus Ukraine, it's Russia versus the world, and after that, it will become another rendition of East versus West. Believe me when I say we don't want that. A Russian invasion would send us back 40 years into the cold war; a global conflict will bring us, collectively, back to the dark ages. Joining NATO is the safety blanket my government wants to wrap us in, but no matter what happens, someone will get burned."

What Wynonna described disturbed me. Suddenly, I had an acute understanding of what this invasion would truly mean, not only for her and the rest of the Ukrainian population but for all of us—the lives of people around the world. The fragility of the ongoing talks between Russia and NATO member states now seemed to be setting the stage for the biggest catch 22 decision I can think of. It's no longer a question of them or us, but a question of when and how bad. 

The Bulletin of The Atomic Scientists answer: in 100 seconds, and Earth-shattering. 

A sobering thought indeed.