Visa transfer is a procedure of transferring valid visa from an invalid passport (damaged pages, no blank pages left, expiration, etc.) to a new replacement document. 
To apply for a visa transfer you should submit to the Consular Section of the Embassy the following documents in person:
1. Old passport with a valid visa (that requires transfer);
2. New valid passport;
3. Request signed by the applicant stating the reason for transfer.
4. Double sided completed application form http://visa.kdmid.ru, one per person. Application form must be signed and dated. Make sure your application is addressed to the EMBASSY OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION IN AUSTRALIA 
Visa documents are accepted by the Consular Section from 9.30 am till 12.30 pm.
Visa processing time starts only after the consular officer receives all the necessary documents. 
After you receive your visa, please check it for possible mistakes (passport number, date of birth, term of validity etc.) and, if necessary, return it to us for corrections. The Consular Section will not be responsible for the mistakes, which were not brought to its attention before your departure from Australia.
ATTENTION! There are additional requirements for non-Australian citizens (permit to study, work in Australia for more than 90 days, resident permit, etc.).
Citizens of the Russian Federation, regardless of any other citizenship they have, must travel to Russia on valid Russian documents only.
Please, carefully fill in the visa information in the application form and follow all other requirements when submitting your papers. When applying be advised that the permission to enter the Russian Federation is a courtesy of the State.
Visa can be denied if the consular officer has serious reasons to believe that the applicant's visit to the Russian Federation is not desirable, and the disclosure of the reason for the denial can be withheld.
The validity and type of visa should be strictly connected to the purpose of visit. When in Russia, you cannot change your visa status i.e. from tourist to business or from business to guest and vice versa. To do that, you have to leave the country and re-enter on different visa.