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In the larger cities, credit cards can be used just as you would use them here in America. We accessed cash from convenient ATMs with our Visa. However, there was a $10 charge per access. so we started getting larger sums after we realized that. We paid for transportation and hotels with credit cards, but used cash for everything else. Not sure about the smaller cities and villages, though.
Money belt and neck pouch for big cash is a good way to do it. We each carried both and split up the cash between DH and I and between money belts and neck pouches. We didn't carry big money for very long though after we hit Russia. Ankle wallets are also good.
Sheremetyevo is the better airport in Moscow. It's newer, cleaner and easier to get out of with respect to traffic. We flew into Heathrow in London and out through Zurich once and through Amsterdam another time.
Beef jerky was our savior during our first adoption (in the dead of winter). If you take something to eat, make it something light and compact. Cheerios are good for toddlers as are Teddy Graham crackers. In warmer weather food is easy to get to, but winter has a way of biting through anything and if you have the option to skip a meal and eat rations that you brought, you might opt for that. Don't forget good padded socks and comfortable shoes - you'll likely do a lot of walking. Also - bring something for you for court. We got so excited with our first adoption that we completely forgot to bring clothes for us. I think our translator told the judge our luggage was lost. :-)
If your child is a young toddler as opposed to an infant, I would buy an umbrealla stroller IN Russia. That way you have something with a Russian label as a keepsake and you're only toting a stroller for the time you need it, not half-way around the world while waiting to need it. (Something we learned with adoption No.2. The price is pretty much the same, maybe a couple of dollars more, but not much more.)
And the Russian people - like most folks - will take their cues from you with respect to how they treat and react toward you. If you are warm, friendly, open and respectful - most importantly respectful - they will reciprocate. If you are suspicious, they will be suspicious of you. Same as anywhere USA.
Have a great trip.
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