As a comment to the discussion above, let me cite the article I've found on the Internet today.
The Moscow Times writes (in English, fortunately):
"To talk of a transportation Iron Curtain might be an exaggeration, but Russia is definitely barren territory when it comes to low-cost airlines. Taxes on more efficient Western aircraft put the low-cost business model beyond the means of Russian airlines, while highly regulated international routes mean the country is simply closed to Europe's discount carriers."
"Russia doesn't yet see the aviation industry as an intrinsic part of its economy. It sees it as an economy all of its own."
"(The) international treaties dictate exactly which airlines can fly to which airports and how often."
"Other pieces of the low-cost puzzle missing from Russia include a lack of alternative airports with the infrastructure to deal with high-volume modern carriers."
More in the
article.