Pyeongchang Olympic silver medalist Evgenia Medvedeva claimed the lead after the women's short program at the Cup of Russia on Friday, while Satoko Miyahara placed sixth for the best showing by a Japanese skater.
Medvedeva, the Russian two-time world champion, nailed a triple flip-triple toe loop combination to score 76.93 points at the fifth ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating event of the season.
Fifteen-year-old Russian Alexandra Trusova, who won last month's Skate Canada in her Grand Prix debut, was second with 74.21, while Mariah Bell of the United States was third.
Miyahara, who finished runner-up at the Cup of China last week, scored 63.09 after failing to open her routine with a triple lutz/triple toe loop combination.
"There was something wrong with my triple lutz during the six-minute practice session (before my program), so I was nervous and my body was stiff," she said. "I need to do whatever I can (in Saturday's free program)."
Yuna Shiraiwa placed seventh with 60.57, while 19-year-old Yuhana Yokoi came 10th in her Grand Prix debut.