NYT is sensationalizing the political component of Budanov’s assignment. There is some truth to it, but NYT is overplaying it. Zelensky still has massive political capital and not only because of the “rally around the flag” effect as the sociologists call it.

Budanov is from the new school of Ukrainian military, he was just 28 when the russian invaded Crimea in 2014, I would almost prefer if he stayed with the military and they found a (relatively) young technocrat for the chief of staff position.

Bad idea. Budanov was quite effective in his previous (MUCH-MUCH-MUCH more important) position. Now Budanov would be a bureaucrat. And who knows hwo will try to fill Budanov’s place.