Modern Russian language lacks neutral forms of address
Words like ‘sir’, ‘madam’ and ‘comrade’ have fallen out of use and no new ones have appeared.
In tsarist times, people addressed each other depending on their social class: ‘господин’ / ‘госпожа’ (‘Mr.’/’Ms.’), ‘сударь’ / ‘сударыня’ (‘sir’ / ‘lady’). This system collapsed in the Soviet years when everyone was said to be equal.
Then, the universal word ‘товарищ’ (‘comrade’) appeared, but, after the collapse of the USSR, this word was also abandoned.
Today, in business environments, the address ‘господин/госпожа’ (‘Mr.’/’Ms.’) is sometimes used, but, in mass communication, it sounds unnatural.
Therefore, instead of a formal address, Russians usually just say: ‘Извините’ (‘Excuse me’) and then ask their question.