About your first question it is Air Law, article 56 stating that the flight crew member should have the Russian citizenship and there is an exception for captains only:
http://www.consultant.ru/document/co...3890f1a4a26d3/
May be the easiest way to step in is to fly a bizjet under an offshore flag and be based in Russia. If you can find your first job there...
For sightseeing flights and forest air patrol, there is no way I guess, because, regarding the exception for captains above, it is like a quota and the procedure is affordable only for big players, not for an owner of a pair of C172