Ukraine’s president Petro Poroshenko has warned he could scrap a law giving “special status“ to eastern Donbass after the region held its own elections at the weekend.

Russian separatist leader Alexander Zakharchenko was sworn in on Tuesday as the head of a self-proclaimed ‘people’s republic.‘ 

Sunday’s separatist elections were denounced as illegal by some western countries but are being backed by Russia.

“The election farce of November 2 jeopardises the peace process in general, the start of which was achieved with tremendous effort. It seriously worsens the situation in Donbass. The responsibility of which lies utterly and completely upon the perpetrators, organisers, and those who ordered those pseudo-elections,” Poroshenko declared.

The United Nations has called the elections “unfortunate and counterproductive”.

Poroshenko is due to hold a meeting of Ukraine’s Security and Defence Council on Tuesday to propose abolishing any special status for the east

More than 4,000 people have been killed in the conflict which began in February after the ousting of president Viktor Yanukovich.