. >> ihor poshyvailo is director of the contemporary maidan museum in kyiv.to see the carcass of the church of the nativity. on ukraine's heritage list. poshyvailo told us the russians had deliberately shelled it when they retreated last year. there was no fighting nearby. built in 1862, the church had survived two world wars, a communism and a revolution, but not this. so what message do you think the russians were trying to send by destroying this church? >> we are strong. you should be afraid of us. and we will do what we want to do. we don't need you on this land. we don't need your traditions, beliefs, your culture. you'll not, you'll not exist. >> reporter: erase you. >> erase you, exactly. >> reporter: as we sifted through the wreckage, poshyvailo told us the church had been famous for its unique centuries-old folk art. and these are all paintings? >> yes. and you can see that they still have -- >> wow. look at that. >> reporter: he told us this was one of 700 churches that have been hit so far. some were collateral damage, many were not. to document t