Thanks Ben, and yes, a fellow Brit.

Additional to your reply, I did a bit of digging earlier and

Russia to EU (not UK)

Russian for a schengen visa to most of EU (not UK) - https://travelvisabookings.com/schengen-visa-russian-citizens/

Seems pretty straight forward but, as you mention, perhaps get the lady to book a package to make it easier except visa only 66 euros whereas package in the mid hundreds?

Russian lady to UK

I do have a Russian lady I have been conversing with already who is going for a tourist visa to UK via travel agency, she says she has passport and visa now but needs funds to book the return flights (I was going to pay her back on landing in UK), slightly wary on this r.e. scammer, but did come across this government site in any case - https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-online-application-service-for-uk-visit-visas-launches-in-russia

What do you think sir?