In his first interview with a British newspaper since the start of the invasion, Oleksii Reznikov said President Zelensky had ordered Ukraine’s military to retake occupied coastal areas vital to the country’s economy. “We understand that, politically, it is very necessary for our country. The president instructed the supreme military leader to draw up plans. After that the general staff does its homework and says to achieve this goal we need XYZ,” he said. “This is my job. I write letters to counterparts in partner countries, generals talk about why we need