Stalin in the Kremlin after a meeting about the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union at the start of Operation Barbarossa. The photographer secretly defied orders to destroy it as it was deemed not to show Stalin in a positive light – June 22nd 1941

When the invasion happened, Stalin ran to his rural cottage and had a nervous breakdown for 3 days, being unavailable to Russian command looking for guidance/orders, and drinking himself to death. Beria and other top communists went to meet him and got him out of the cottage. He was also afraid of being deposed/assassinated at this point.