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In the words of the Chinese saying, we're cursed to live in interesting times,

a moment when the risks of global conflict, largely frozen for half a century,

seem greater than in most of our lifetimes.

To assess these risks,

the briefing room is broadcasting a series of programs examining three of the most likely arenas of conflict and asking, what are the chances of a conflagration in each? In the last

couple of weeks, we've focused on growing tensions in the Middle East and the South China

Sea. This week, Russia. It's two and a half years since Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

As of now, Russians are fighting inside Ukraine using Chinese and North Korean weaponry, and Ukrainians

are fighting inside Russia using the latest American and European war tech.

With so many NATO countries bordering on Russia and Ukraine,

the risks of escalation have always been present.

So if such an escalation were to happen,

what form might it take and what would be the most likely consequences?

Step inside the briefing room and together we'll find out.

First, some geography and history.

Natia Saskuria is founder and executive director of the Regional Institute for Security Studies,

RISS, a Tbilisi-based think tank.

Nathia Saskuria, Russia, as any schoolchild knows, is the world's biggest country by area,

which means it has a lot of countries on its borders.

Can you remind us of the countries that border on Russia, and then we can look at the ones

which may be at particular risk?

...