In terms of the occupation of the Baltic states, the nations of the world form five groups: 1. countries that explicitly did not recognise the Soviet occupation, either "de jure" or "de facto"; 2. countries that did not recognise the Soviet occupation "de jure" but recognised the Soviet rule in the Baltics "de facto"; 3. countries that also recognised the incorporation of the Baltic states "de jure"; 4. countries that have not expressed their position in any way. 5. countries under communist rule recognized the annexation as Soviet republics legal.