Russians don't get excited about things until closer to the actual deadline. Nothing is done in a hurry. Personal relationships are critical to success in doing anything over here. I've bought cakes from Russian shops before, and they have always been very good. I guess that's progress.
Many western brands are now available.
Coke and Pepsi are everywhere, and Japanese electronics and American items are not hard to find. I hope the Russians don't lose their national identity due to the invasion of foreign products. I went to Energia today to discuss plans for the unveiling of the Service Module that they are building. I got a tour of the test and integration area where the SM is being manufactured, although I didn't get to go inside the module itself. Also, I saw the next Progress resupply ship being assembled, as well as a mock-up of the Mir used for crew training.