Putin discusses Ukraine war with top Wagner commander Troshev

FILE PHOTO: Andrei Troshev, a senior Wagner commander known by his callsign "Sedoi", attends a reception to celebrate Heroes of Fatherland Day at the Kremlin, in Moscow, Russia, December 9, 2016, in this still image taken from video. Kremlin.ru/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russian President Vladimir Putin was on Friday shown meeting one of the most senior former commanders of the Wagner mercenary group and discussing how best to use "volunteer units" in the Ukraine war.

The meeting underscored the Kremlin's attempt to show that the state had now gained control over the mercenary group after a failed June mutiny by its boss Yevgeny Prigozhin, who was then killed with other senior commanders in a plane crash in August.