As a follow up to "my advise"

I travel on a business visa, and have never heard of checking in at
the Embassy.  You usually have to leave your passport at the desk of
the hotel for a few hours upon checking in for them to make out the
proper form documenting where you stay...you get an official piece of
paper you show when you leave Russia.   Some hotels have a safe in
the room or you can have the hotel keep it locked up for you.  If you
stay in someone's home, I don't know what the protocol is.  Maybe
it's the Embassy thing.  The objective is not to carry your
essentials everywhere you go walking the streets.

It's not sure, but I am scheduling arrival in Moscow on Monday
morning 31 July for the following three to five days.  I've walked
all over the city, but have not seen sites close up with conservation
going on  (The Christ the Savior Cathedral is hardly called
preservation).  If anyone knows of conservation sites, or such
organizations welcoming visits, please let me know.

--JImsky