Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko called on the country’s National Security and Defence Council on Tuesday to scrap a law giving “special status” to the east of Ukraine.

It comes after separatists wanting independence held their own elections in the Donbass region at the weekend.

Poroshenko also ordered additional troops be sent to the area.

“I do not exclude that the outcome of today’s meeting of the Security Council will be the significant strengthening of control at checkpoints, in order to restrict movements of those who can pose a threat by sending reconnaissance and sabotage groups,” Poroshenko declared.

Earlier in the day, Russian separatist leader Alexander Zakharchenko was sworn in as the head of a self-proclaimed ‘People’s Republic‘ of Donetsk.

The elections were denounced as illegal by the US and EU but are being backed by Russia.

The law on self-governance in parts of the Donbass region was passed by the Ukrainian parliament in September after a ceasefire agreement between Kyiv and separatists.