I’ve read these stories multiple times now and I still don’t quite understand what’s happening.

That’s because it’s mostly lies and propaganda not aimed at you, but the Russian people.

Russians have been burning those offices for over a year, with it ramping up after people started getting forcefully recruited. Russia as always is trying to say it’s not “real russians” doing it, but people influenced by “the evil west”. It’s their standard strategy when it comes to pretty much any set back, ever. In this case it’s mostly blamed on “evil ukranian scammers”, so they can keep justifying the invasion and occupation.