This is no longer necessary to inflict the catastrophic destruction we're really referring to when talking about a hypothetical WWIII
I tend to agree with both of you, and that by extension, we will never see another world war unless society as we know it collapses significantly.
Topical the Israelis just killed Khamenei.
The USSR on the other hand barely had any involvement in the Pacific theatre, entering in August 1945.
See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battles_of_Khalkhin_Gol (that was in 1939).
Russians are not under food rationing yet.
More than the war, they’ll feel the peace. More than 100% of the economic growth of the last few years has gone into war production, meaning the civilian economy has shrunk. When the weapons factories are scaled back the economy is going to hurt something fierce. Even Muscovites will notice.
This is why Putin can’t stop fighting. When the fighting stops Russia will face a reckoning. Better to postpone that day hoping that Europe runs out of steam.