<P> Germany invaded Poland on 1 September 1939 . Joseph Stalin waited until 17 September before launching his own invasion of Poland . Part of southeastern ( Karelia ) and the Salla region of Finland were annexed by the Soviet Union after the Winter War . This was followed by Soviet annexations of Estonia , Latvia , Lithuania , and parts of Romania ( Bessarabia , Northern Bukovina and the Hertza region ) . It was only in 1989 that the Soviet Union admitted the existence of the secret protocol of the Nazi - Soviet pact regarding the planned divisions of these territories . The invasion of Bukovina violated the Molotov - Ribbentrop Pact , as it went beyond the Soviet sphere agreed with the Axis . </P>
<P> Germany invaded Poland on 1 September 1939 . Joseph Stalin waited until 17 September before launching his own invasion of Poland . Part of southeastern ( Karelia ) and the Salla region of Finland were annexed by the Soviet Union after the Winter War . This was followed by Soviet annexations of Estonia , Latvia , Lithuania , and parts of Romania ( Bessarabia , Northern Bukovina and the Hertza region ) . It was only in 1989 that the Soviet Union admitted the existence of the secret protocol of the Nazi - Soviet pact regarding the planned divisions of these territories . The invasion of Bukovina violated the Molotov - Ribbentrop Pact , as it went beyond the Soviet sphere agreed with the Axis . </P>
who was in power in russia during ww2
who was in power in russia during ww2
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin