Hi there,
The visa to Russia can be quite annoying to get, technically, to get a tourist visa, you are supposed to book and pay in advance for each hotel in each city you're going to, and have your plane ticket, which means that you'll be ripped off, and it can be quite a headaque to supply everything.
A good way is to contact one of the russian agents on line (
www.visatorussia.com ) and "buy" a company's invitation for a business visa. Once you got the invitation, just go to the russian consulate with your passport and invitation, and you'll get your visa. One of my friends did that on monday, it took 10 minutes, a few years ago I had to start queing in Paris around 5a.m. to get the visa with all the required paperwork etc.
