What makes it good?
Nothing in particular that didn't exist in your system, but was subsequently washed out.
In general, I'm not a pedagogue, and can't offer much intelligent commentary on difference in methodologies, etc. I can only comment on the empirically observable results, and my own experience.
The Russian system is inherited from the Soviet Union, which in turn was largely inherited from the preceding Imperial system.
Personally, I feel the Russian education system right now is a piece of sh*t compared to the imperial system. When I read about what Russian mathematicians, or authors, or philosophers were producing when they were 18-20 years old - it puts to shame most current inhabitants of Russia in the group 30-60.
People used to be just much smarter, if they were in schools or universities.
Now any kind of trash can get in, and this brings down the entire level of discussion. You can have a genius professor, and a brilliant textbook, but you'll still move only as fast as the biggest dumbas* in the class.
This may be one difference. The Russian system is more brutal, and in it there is less space for making sure the retards can keep up. This way, the talents are less squandered.