No counter play to gaining more fuel. Most abilities have the option for opponent to react to it, like smoke on arty etc etc.
Industry isnt used much anymore because the MP debuff is crippling, you have to spam T34s, which are very easily countered by a lot of AT.
A very strong way to use Industy, which only works in team games, is to spam SU85s, fronted by a KV8 or two, and backed by 1-2 katys... but thats very difficult to get to with just baseline inf, maybe if you got a T70 and T34 first.
But Id much rather be able to play with KV2 with an infantry heavy build, because thats what gives more solid map presence allowing the KV2 a solid base.
I disagree I think AT is a perfectly reasonable counter and you said it yourself the ability itself is crippling. So arguably bleeding them further is a deeper counter.
I think they should keep soviet industry however make its ability timed and with a cooldown maybe 60 active with 30 cooldown, so its like your trading manpower of fuel but overtime, not a direct redistribute and perhaps a slight buff to the kv-2 and I think it would be fine. But maybe im wrong and that's op.