If you do have a lot of things and aren't ready to part with them, you can use specialized logistics companies.
An example of a company that does "turnkey" service — packing, shipping, customs clearance, unpacking: https://parustrans.ru/.
You send a list of items, they estimate weight and volume and quote a price. For example, 1.5 m³ / 150 kg costs $1900 for ground transport (4-5 weeks) and $2800 for air transport (7-10 days). Then you schedule a day when people come with their packing materials, pack everything, compile a list of items, and take them to the warehouse. This list with additional documentation is then submitted to obtain a TOR number so the company can import your items duty-free. The number takes up to 2 weeks, and your items are stored at the Moscow warehouse during this time. After you provide the number, you pay by bank transfer (you can pay in rubles) and the items are sent from Moscow to London. The delivery address can be provided later when the items are closer to London — it will be requested by a partner company that handles the actual delivery of your cargo.
Besides individual companies, there's an aggregator of movers: movehub.com. You leave a request, several companies contact you over time, offer to estimate volume, communicate with you, and propose their prices and services.
If you're not interested in full logistics but just need to deliver cargo from point A to point B, you can use: https://www.vezetvsem.ru/. It's essentially an auction where drivers bid lower prices for your shipment, so you can save significantly.
You can also try using courier services, especially if you don't have too much luggage. It's not recommended to use CDEK or Russian Post; better to choose a more serious service and get insurance.
Keep in mind that these services usually don't send items "to yourself," meaning you'll need to find another addressee in the UK (ask colleagues, for example — this shouldn't be a problem).
Minimal effort is required from you; the company does almost everything through lawyer subcontractors. You need to:
Take the IELTS (General or Academic doesn't matter, but it must be UKVI). You need to score at least 4 in everything, which is easier than it sounds. Some say General is easier, but it's individual — if you have lots of experience reading scientific texts, Academic might be easier. It's essential to practice taking the exam so there are no surprises during the actual test. Waiting for the test and results takes about a month and a half. Those who studied or live in a country where English is the official language don't need to take it.
Take a tuberculosis test. Again, not everyone needs this — only those who live in a country on the list. Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus are on this list. You can take it in one day. But you can only take it at certain centers, which exist only in some cities.
Fill out the application, prepare all documents, and submit them to the visa center. Your passport stays at the center; they'll send it back with a courier.
After some time, your passport will arrive. In most cases, you need to wait up to a month — use this as guidance. But there are no guarantees; sometimes it takes longer. Don't buy non-refundable tickets.
A vignette will be stuck in your passport, giving you the right to enter within a small window. This is not the visa. If you leave the country, you cannot re-enter on this vignette. Once in the UK, you need to get a BRP card, which serves as the visa.
Don't lose it. Replacement is a tedious procedure during which you cannot leave the country. Don't carry it with you — nobody asks for documents on the streets in the UK.
Don't throw away the letter received with your passport! It may be needed later. In general, try not to throw away letters from government, financial organizations, or utility companies that arrive in the UK. They're needed to confirm your address or for obtaining ILR (indefinite leave to remain) or citizenship.
TIP
Save absolutely all receipts for everything related to the visa and relocation.
Snap can provide temporary housing for a month, but then they won't give you the relocation bonus. Taking the apartment is not worth it — take the bonus instead. You can stay with friends or rent an apartment on Airbnb.
Look for temporary housing for a month. In a shorter time, you won't manage to settle all matters and find a good apartment. Searching for permanent housing (if you want a good one) is an exhausting process, and you'll be working at the same time.
When choosing housing, ask the owner if you can receive mail at this address. Sometimes the mailbox is locked. Being able to receive mail in the first days is very important since bank cards and many documents are sent by post. However, you can always use the office address (see the section on offices) or a friend's address.
Move into temporary housing. Memorize the address and postcode — you'll need to provide it many places. Keep a list of services where you've given your address so you don't forget to update it after moving. Otherwise, your mail will go to strangers. Royal Mail has a forwarding service, but it's paid.
Get your BRP. You can't do this immediately — usually you can pick it up at the post office (address specified in the letter received with the visa) only after two weeks.
Police registration at OVRO is currently suspended. Register with OVRO — the police department handling foreign national registration — if required (look for the corresponding note on your entry clearance). You can sign up for registration online, but must do so within the period specified on your visa vignette! The nearest appointment may be a year away, but that's not so important. The main thing is to register for it. When registering for an appointment, provide your current address, and at the actual appointment, you'll need to provide your address at that time. Having registered for an appointment is a valid reason for not having completed registration. But it's very unlikely anyone will ask.
Open a bank account. The most convenient online bank is Monzo. Registration takes no more than 10 minutes, and the card arrives in one or two days. It's a full-fledged British bank, albeit with a limited range of services compared to others. But it has everything you need. Later, you can open an account with one of the major banks without rushing. (See section on banks and money transfers.)
Register on the tax authority website to check your tax code. And generally, read about taxes. (See section on salary and taxes.)
You'll need your National Insurance Number (NIN), which is also your tax ID — it's usually on the back of your BRP. You'll also need a payslip from one of the last three months, so you probably won't be able to register until after your first salary. You'll also need to answer some questions about your credit history, which you probably don't have. You can answer "no" everywhere; they'll accept that.
Register with your nearest GP (general practitioner) so someone can write prescriptions. Private doctors are expensive; with insurance, you can only go to those approved by the insurance company. Plus, insurance is off by default. It makes sense to register with GP at Hand via the Babylon app. It's an NHS-registered online clinic. You communicate with a doctor by video; if needed, they'll invite you to come in. Pros: you can call even at night, no waiting in queues, not tied to an address, free. (See section on healthcare.)
Start looking for permanent housing. If you have children, focus on schools. There aren't many bilingual Russian-English nurseries and schools, if that's what you're interested in. (See sections on housing and children.)
Read about the potential bonus issue in the corresponding section to avoid an unpleasant surprise when receiving your second and subsequent salaries. Moreover, it's better to clarify with payroll in advance which month and how exactly (all at once, in parts) your bonus will be paid. This way, you can ensure you're not forgotten.
Start collecting letters from official organizations and utility bills. Also, add family members to bills. Letters and bills will be useful when applying for ILR.