first of all, i'm a gamblin man so i understand what can happen.
how hard is it to get a visa for a russian girl to visit?
can i buy an airline ticket and have it waiting at the airport for her so i don't have to send money?
Your line of questions suggests that you are on the hook for the classic scam "Send me money for a visa nad an airline ticket and i will come and visit you in America."
But it appears, that you are at least suspicious and wary enough to want to buy the airline ticket for her, yourself, rather than to just give her money.
In general, a Russian woman has a VERY HARD TIME getting a tourist visa, despite her claims of "who she knows". It may border on impossible.
DON'T BELEIVE IT. Its the oldest scam in the book. If you are serious - plan a vacation and go THERE. And see what she says if you suggest this. You might be surprised.
J,
Agree on the whole with jetmba above, a knowledgeable guess that you've been approached for the oldest scam in the book, visa & ticket.
Now you've asked regarding a visa for a girl to visit but you haven't said which country you reside in.
Every country has similar, but different, rules and speaking as a Brit, there are several methods of approach to applying for a visa but if the two of you haven't yet met then literally all of these approaches finish in a 'dead end'.
To answer your question though, yes, it is possible for you, in most cases, to book her airline ticket(s), they can be delivered to you for you to then courier to her (this is perhaps the cheapest method), you can perhaps arrange for them to be delivered directly to her or perhaps she can collect them locally from an airline office. It all depends where she lives and what airline(s) operate from/to her city.
One good thing though, if you book them then only you can cash them in, not her, however please bear in mind that the least expensive tickets are non changeable, non refundable etc. thus if you're about to invest USD1,000.00 (ish) on non refundable airline tickets then, as you say, you need to be one hell of a gambling man.
Spend the USD1,000.00 on tickets for yourself to go to her, tell her that you are coming on a specific date(s) and if she starts 'kicking & screaming' then you'll know that she doesn't want to see you, just your money! Tell her that you are coming before you spend any money, call her bluff without losing the money.