https://thebulletin.org/doomsday-clock/ A time of unprecedented danger: It is 90 seconds to midnight "2023 Doomsday Clock Announcement January 24, 2023 This year, the Science and Security Board of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists moves the hands of the Doomsday Clock forward, largely (though not exclusively) because of the mounting dangers of the war in Ukraine. The Clock now stands at 90 seconds to midnight—the closest to global catastrophe it has ever been."
It's not like I don't realize that a world with ICBMs with nuclear warheads is inherently dangerous, but according to them, the end of the world has been nigh longer than I've been alive.
No one knows the day or hour. The angels in heaven don't know, and the Son himself doesn't know. Only the Father knows. ~Matthew 24:36
In the Cold War era we reached the point where we didn't worry (too much) because we came to realize that the Soviet Union was a rational actor. For the first time since then I'm starting to worry. I'm not sure Putin is rational at this point. I wouldn’t bet a Canadian nickel on his survival for another year.
A certain religious sect, which I will not name in order to avoid controversy, simultaneously uses this verse to refute other groups' doomsday date predictions while continuing to put forth their own. After their fourth or so prediction didn't amount to anything, instead of admitting they were wrong again, they chose work a different kind of spin. It turns out that Armageddon did, in fact, start at the predicted time. It's just that the rollout was happening slowly. Very slowly. Very, very slowly. Decades later, they scrapped that idea that and got back into the failed prediction business.
Nor would I, a Canadian with a small jar full of those nickels on top of the fridge. And most of his likely successors - don't see much rationality there. And even if there were, there are other governments of crazies who don't like us at all. We got troubles, folks. Doomsday, I dunno. But troubles -- big ones a-plenty.
Putin has kids. He may be evil, but I expect that he doesn't want a nuclear confrontation any more than anyone else does.
But his choice might be deposition and death at the hands of an assassin or going out in a blaze of glory. I see no reason to think he gives two rat farts about anyone or anything besides himself.