In the Winter War of 1939/1940, small Finland managed to successfully defend itself against the seemingly vastly superior Soviet Union. Russia has been using a similar argument to wage the Ukraine war since February 24.
The reason for Finland's ability to defend itself is the Finns themselves – and their belief in themselves and their country. According to official figures, 70,000 Finns died in the Winter war, and the losses of the Soviet army are estimated to be several times higher. The Finns inflicted a severe defeat on the Red Army – and prevented it from being occupied.