xxyyz (not 100% sure if I spelled that right), posted in April '07 that he found Russia-visa.com to be the cheapest "complete package" Russia Visa service. After diligent searching, I can't find anything cheaper. They charge $160 for a 30-day single-entry Visa with the invite.

If you are a do-it-yourself person, the SFO Russia consulate is the only one I found with clear instructions for getting the Visa entirely by mail from them.

http://www.consulrussia.org/

I have not seen any info about how far in advance, one can get a Visa. I'm traveling OSL-->SVO-->HKG in May, and LAS-->EZE in January. I thought I would get my Russia Visa now before I thrash my passport by carrying it around hiking through FitzRoy and Torre del Paine areas in Patagonia.

I booked OSL-SVO-HKG to allow four days in Russia. I'm not sure if that was the optimal choice if it leaves me 3 days in Dublin, 2 in Oslo, 8 in China/HKG (I want to go the Yellow Mtn), 2 in TPE and then home to LAX/SAN. (I've never been to Moscow, Dublin, or Oslo before.) If necessary, I can ask Aeroflot to change when I pick up my tix.

On the Visa and "invite" applications, I plan to ask for more days than just the four that I know I will be using. My plans might change.