That being said, I don't think the quotas are too strict, as I know others who have gotten residency without having any link to Russia. (i.e., they were missionaries)
The only headache is that to get residency, you have to pass a Russian exam. This includes the Russian language, Russian law, and Russian history. Russian is a bit complicated! I'm self taught, and learned enough to pass the exam. There are several universities in my city that offer "Russian for Foreigners." It's a one academic year (September to June) program and costs about $1,000 for tuition, dormitory room, and insurance.
Thanks for all the info Cowboy