STORY: Ukrainian soldier and vlogger Andrii Babychev published drone footage on his YouTube channel showing smoke billowing over residential blocks, as well as destroyed houses.

Reuters was able to verify the location from the buildings, road and field seen in the video which matched satellite photography of the area.

Reuters was not able to confirm the date the video was filmed.

Russia's Wagner mercenaries, trying to capture Bakhmut in what has become the longest and bloodiest battle of the war, "are losing considerable strength and are running out of steam," Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrskyi said on the Telegram social media site.

There was no immediate response from Moscow to the latest claims its forces in Bakhmut were losing momentum.