Water...

In any restaurant I have ever been till date, one thing is assured the waiter definitely gets water for you immediately after you settle in your seat. Russia is different! No they do NOT get vodka for people :)
(Though I won’t be surprised if I find out that vodka is cheaper that water in Russia - water is fairly "expensive" in Russia)

Photo - The view from my room window -
Hotel Ukraina (Radisson Royal) & reflection in the Moscow river.

They simply don't offer water! Even the courtesy thirst quenching glass of fluid is not "free" in Moscow. You have to specifically "order" water with your appetizers and your main course. Once you have ordered water - comes the question still or sparkling?

Apparently Russians don't drink water while having food; they say it is not healthy. Also, on an average people drink a lot and I mean A LOT less water...one explanation I got on asking a Russian was - since the weather here is always cold people need less water!

Now for the cost part, consider this, at McDonald's in Russia a standard thick shake costs 59 rubles and a small bottle of water costs 44 rubles approximately. In the restaurant I have been to a few times after coming here, they charge approx. $6 (after converting to US dollar) for a bottle still water, 500 ml!!!