Today's Chernivtsi Oblast of Ukraine was part of Romania between 1918 and June 1940, when it was occupied by the Soviet Union, and on 2 August 1940 it was transferred to the Ukrainian SSR. The region constituted the northern part of the historical region of Bukovina, the northern part of Hotin County of the region of Bessarabia (known as Northern Bessarabia), and the north-western corner of Dorohoi County (known as Hertza) of the region of Moldavia proper.