You don't require the language bar to alternate between keyboard layouts. You just need to know the key bindings. For instance on WinXP, I set:

(LEFT)ALT+SHIFT+1 to switch to my chosen keyboard layout. Then I use ALT+`/~ to turn the IME off and on as need be. Keep in mind that some apps don't necessarily support IME input...
Mozilla does though...

For instance:
ka か　ki き　ku く　ke け　ko こ　
and so on...
That was typed alternately using the key bindings above, without having any access to the language bar. Keep in mind that you have to set these bindings yourself in the regional and language settings applet in the control panel.

Hope that was a reasonably clear set of instructions. :}
Can't say whether this works for Russian or not, or on anything else besides WinXP.

- Scarrow