Protests have been taking place in several Ukrainian cities against President Volodymyr Zelensky’s surprise dismissal of popular Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.

A crowd of people – mostly young – gathered in Kyiv, holding up signs reading “Hands off Fedorov” and “Stop sabotaging victory!” and chanting “Shame!”.

Zelensky has not yet explained his decision, which is causing significant upset among commentators and the military as well as parts of civil society.

Fedorov, 35, was appointed only in January but has been credited with energising the ministry, heading a drive against corruption and using data to analyse and try to improve performance on the front line.

MPs were due to vote on Thursday on the proposed replacement as defence minister, Ihor Klymenko, who currently heads the interior ministry.

As part of Zelensky’s reshuffle, parliament approved the appointment of state oil and gas boss Serhiy Koretsky as prime minister, after Yuliia Svyrydenko resigned earlier this week.

There had been rumours that Mykhailo Fedorov’s dismissal was linked to tensions between him and Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi.

At a press conference on Thursday, Fedorov all but confirmed that, saying he had suggested to Zelensky that Syrskyi and Chief of the General Staff Andrii Hnatov should be replaced.

“When the president said he did not plan to replace Syrskyi, I… said I would learn to work with him,” Fedorov said. But “all the initiatives we proposed were blocked,” he added.

“Instead of finding a way of defeating Russia asymmetrically – which is the commander-in-chief’s job – he’s found a way of splitting our country,” Fedorov said of Syrskiy.

Fedorov also revealed that Zelensky offered him to stay on his team as an adviser, but that he refused.

He was not seeking to antagonise the president, he explained, saying he was “confident” that Zelensky “hears the Ukrainian people, knows what to do, and the situation will be 100% resolved”.

“I don’t believe he has yet chosen a side in the Syrskyi matter. I spoke with him today and said that I am acting according to my conscience,” he said.