The article analyzes the background and the timeline of the Winter War between Finland and the Soviet Union in 1939–1940, which allowed Finland, the only one from the former colonies, to preserve sovereignty. Therewith the article considers the actions of Soviet Russia, and subsequently the USSR on the restoration of the empire from its collapse in 1917 and the end of the Second World War. It is concluded that the actions of the metropolis have not undergone significant changes both in form and content. Therefore the Winter War experience gives reason to generate adequate, and if necessary – asymmetric responses to the challenges facing Ukraine today. The author substantiates the idea that the core of the renewal of Ukrainian society should be the military reform. It will allow to revive a powerful defense-industrial complex. And this, in turn, will contribute to restoring the industrial potential of our state. At the same time, as a result of military reform, there should appear a “new model of the army” in Ukraine, and new approaches to the Russian-Ukrainian war should emerge.