I recommend looking at some WW1 depictions of Germans (often called 'Huns' back then). Or even better, German or Japanese depictions of western Allied forces in WW2. It's pretty much the same

Ukrainian state is already in a state of total war, they don't lose anything by escalating. Their goal is to drag other countries into the war, or at the very least maximize external support. Exaggerations, taking stuff out of context, hyperbolizing isolated incidents, or even outright lies - all the tools of trade are normally shunned are now allowed. Level-headed assessment of ground-level truth is not on the agenda right now