Russians place flowers at burnt out tanks in Baltic cities

By YURAS KARMANAU and VANESSA GERA
Associated Press

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Burnt-out Russian tanks seized by Ukrainian forces last year have gone on display in recent days in the capitals of the three Baltics states. Estonians, Latvians and Lithuanians are turning out to view them and snap photos in sympathy with the Ukrainians defending their homeland. But some ethnic Russians have also been showing up to place flowers at the tanks in support of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war. The Russian gestures of support for Russia’s side in the war have set off arguments, and at least one fist fight in Vilnius — underlining the tensions that are simmering in the Baltic nations between the Baltic majorities and the countries’ sizeable Russian minorities.