Have any of our Russian members applied recently for a UK visitor's visa at the Moscow Embassy (as opposed to the St Pete or E-Burg consulates)?

It's time for mum-in-law to visit again, but the Moscow embassy has changed it's procedures since last time she applied, and it turns out it's no longer possible to just turn up at the Visa section and apply in person, you have to do it by Accredited Courier/ Travel Agent.

I was just wondering if anyone had been through this process and, if so, how it went, since I am going to have to talk Tyosha through it step-by-step and I can't really figure out how it works from this end.

TIA.