Thursday’s Mini-Report, 8.20.26

Today’s edition of quick hits. * Russia’s attacks on Ukraine continue: “For much of the war, Russia’s air assaults followed a battle-tested formula: first, waves of drones to saturate and tie up air defenses; then, once a path was cleared, a salvo of highly destructive missiles. But as Ukraine now struggles with severe air defense shortages, Russia is going straight for the missiles. Overnight on Thursday, it opened a deadly air assault with a volley of ballistic missiles that resulted in several explosions across Kyiv.” * It’s about time: “The beleaguered aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln’s work in the Middle East is complete, and the ship, along with its crew of about 5,000 sailors, began its journey home to San Diego on Thursday after nine months of deployment. Another carrier, the Japan