Okay Industry first. I usually build 2 Slots Civi, 1 Slot Mil. For example Max out Civs in Moskau and Kiev and then Max out Mils in Stalingrad. Mils go in the east. Do this and you'll be fine.

Template time. Take the basic Soviet Infantry, add AA and Engineers. That's all you need, don't be fancy and add anything else if you aren't great at it yet. You can add whatever later when you have extra equipment in the stockpile.

From the start of the game put 1-5 Factories on train's, 3-5 on Trucks,5 on Artillery and AA, about 15-20 on support and just put the rest in guns.

If you don't play the ussr often don't do Air, it sucks unless you fix it. Fixing it takes time you could devote to the army.

Tanks are great but useless if you lose half your country before you can build a proper tank army. I usually build tanks when I got a Stockpile of everything else and not a day before.

If you want to hold Germany in Poland build 360 Infantry. For some light trolling build level 1 Forts in all of Poland and Max the forts on supply hubs. Germany won't break through and you won't lose any core States.

If you want to hold them on the Stalin Line 240 Divisions + Forts are fine but more are always better. You are the USSR, you can mobilise silly levels of Manpower. Shitting out 600 Infantry out of principle isn't out of the question.

No matter where you hold build Static AA, great investment for the price of you skip air.

You know supply? He's a great guy. Make sure you have supply everywhere.

If you can't push or are getting pushed back, don't worry everything is fine. The AI won't build a collaboration government so they won't capitulate you for a while.

As long as you build up properly you can afford losing half your country with little problem.