Operation Barbarossa was a master plan for an attack on the Soviet Union, developed in 1941 by the German military. It proposed launching a massive attack in the east, capturing Soviet territory including Leningrad, Moscow, and Stalingrad. Intelligence indicated that the Red Army was in the process of reorganizing and was not taking adequate measures to defend its borders.
The Barbarossa plan was developed for a quick and effective victorious offensive. The political situation gave Germany an advantage over the USSR, since the Soviet leadership was busy eliminating enemies within the country. During the Soviet era, eliminating enemies was especially important, since the USSR was identifying and fighting many who were traitors, spies, violators of state secrets, or otherwise violated the constitution and laws of the USSR. Also, eliminating enemies could include stopping anti-Soviet propaganda, undermining state power, sabotage, and other actions that posed a threat to national security and stability in the country.
However, the Barbarossa plan was somewhat altered and thwarted when the USSR quickly reorganized and began to effectively resist the advancing German forces. Despite some successes, the Barbarossa plan failed to ensure a quick and complete victory for Germany. Ultimately, this mistake became one of the reasons for the defeat of the German army in the Great Patriotic War.