True, they would be ahead of the curve, they would also be ahead of the curve in the reguard that a good number of their troops would have also have been from farms and farm communities, or have done time on collective farms at least. Thus, they would have farm knowledge, animal husbandry and tending animals.
I would also venture to guess that a good number of them would be used to eating a bland diet of porridge, bread and soups and stews.
Whereas, most Western troops or US troops well, initialy there is going to be a good drop in weight when we loose our fast food fat, and maybe beer fat for some of us older guys
But! On the plus side we would be hating life, but have more fat to loose, thus we could last longer on short rations than alot of other troops.
Another issue, the troopers from the republics well, a good number of them wouldn't speak the same language, or at least not very well. So, coordination with their forces would be a bigger issue. At least the Canadians, Brits, Ozies and Kiwis and Americans would be able to talk among one another easily, as well as the Germans and Dutch would all have persons in their units who speak English.
<And, a good number of Eastern European people speak English pretty well!>