8 ): ▁ 8 2 5 - 8 5 2 .</ ref > ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁the ▁USS R ▁occupied ▁and ▁il leg ally ▁an nex ed ▁Lith u ania , ▁Lat via , ▁and ▁Est onia . ▁On ▁June ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁the ▁USS R ▁performed ▁first ▁mass ▁deport ations ▁from ▁Lith u ania , ▁Lat via , ▁and ▁Est onia . ▁ ▁On ▁June ▁ 2 6 , ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁the ▁Soviet ▁government ▁issued ▁an ▁ult imat um ▁to ▁the ▁Roman ian ▁minister ▁in ▁Moscow , ▁demand ing ▁Roman ia ▁immediately ▁c ede ▁B ess arab ia ▁and ▁Northern ▁B uk ov ina . ▁Italy ▁and ▁Germany , ▁which ▁needed ▁a ▁stable ▁Roman ia ▁and ▁access ▁to ▁its ▁oil ▁fields ▁ur ged ▁King ▁Carol ▁II ▁to ▁do ▁so . ▁Under ▁dur ess , ▁with ▁no ▁prospect ▁of ▁aid ▁from ▁France ▁or ▁Britain , ▁Carol ▁comp lied . ▁On ▁June ▁ 2 8 , ▁Soviet ▁troops ▁crossed ▁the ▁D ni ester ▁and ▁occupied ▁B ess arab ia , ▁Northern ▁B uk ov ina , ▁and ▁the ▁H ert za ▁region . ▁ ▁Great ▁Patri otic ▁War ▁ ▁On ▁June ▁ 2 2 , ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁Adolf ▁Hitler ▁ab rupt ly ▁broke ▁the ▁non - ag gression ▁p act ▁and ▁inv aded ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union . ▁St alin ▁had ▁made ▁no ▁prepar ations . ▁Soviet ▁intelligence ▁was ▁foo led ▁by ▁German ▁dis information ▁and