Baltic–Soviet relations military measures." In mid-June 1940, when international attention was focused on the German invasion of France, Soviet NKVD troops raided border posts in Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia. State administrations were liquidated and replaced by Soviet cadres, Elections were held with single pro-Soviet candidates listed for many positions, with resulting peoples assemblies immediately requested admission into the USSR, which was granted by the Soviet Union. Germany invaded and occupied the territories of Baltic states in 1941 during "Operation Barbarossa". At the beginning the Lithuanians, Latvians and Estonians hoped that the Germans would reestablish Baltic independence. Such political hopes soon evaporated and
MS Baltic Queen 26 November until 11 December 2009. From 7 August 2014 the ship started sailing from Tallinn to Helsinki, because MS Silja Europa was chartered to an Australian company due to its high fuel costs. MS Baltic Queen was then replaced with MS Romantika on the Tallinn-Mariehamn-Stockholm line. At the end of 2018 once again it is on the Tallinn–Mariehamn–Stockholm route. MS Baltic Queen MS "Baltic Queen" is a cruiseferry owned by the Estonia-based ferry operator Tallink. The ship was built by the STX Europe shipyard in Rauma, Finland. Initially known under the project name "Cruise 5", "Baltic Queen" was ordered