'They want to destroy us': Shock and anger as Russian attack sets Kyiv cathedral ablaze

The flames engulfed the roof of the building, set in the 11th-century landmark, blazing across the Ukrainian capital's skyline."I jumped up," Father Makariy told AFP from the monastery, hours after the strike."My God, what is happening? There is smoke here, there is fire here, there are people, confusion, people shouting: 'Air raid alert! Attention! Everyone hide!' So I hid too, as best I could," he said.

Under the bright sun, rescuers carefully sorted through the rubble © Genya Savilov / AFP

When the explosions first rung out, he stayed in bed, joking that he would rather leave space in the shelters to younger people.Sitting next to a cordoned-off area hours later, he said the attack targeted not only the holy site, but Ukraine's identity."They not only want to destroy us physically, but they first and foremost want to erase our memory," the clergyman, with a long grey-and-white beard, said.'The Lord himself'Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said two Russian drones had "deliberately" targeted the monastery -- one of the most important religious complexes in all of Ukraine.It is also a revered site for the Russian Orthodox Church.

Ukraine's air force said Russia fired 70 missiles and 611 drones, mainly targeting Kyiv © Genya SAVILOV / AFP