I do it the same way Lenin does, no one notices. I can't have a full "<em>рррр</em>" because when I try its more gutteral, like a french R. I have a hard time keeping the back of my tongue down.

Thank you Elena, that was very helpful. I didn't know where to start, when trying to learn Р. I think I will get it now just with a bit of practice and your tips.

Thanks for taking the time to write this guide, I appreciate it.   I wish I could claim success but.... sadly I just can't!  

When I started Russian almost a year ago I hoped against hope that this dreaded R sound might come after a few months, but no, it never did.  I can sort of do *something*, in certain letter combinations, but I know it's not the true sound because I can only do it when the tongue is in motion - as it flicks from one position to another, like from the D to the I in "Drink" (like the fake Lenin one, it seems?) - I am totally unable to make the continuous "cat purr" sound, and that means I can't make the sound at the end of words, like in телевизор.  I asked both my friend and my Dad if they can make this sound and they both did it, perfectly, right there and then, and they don't even need it!  It's so so so frustrating, and quite honestly I've lost any hope that I'll ever manage it :(

It's bad enough in Russian, but when I realised that this sound is mandatory in Spanish, and must be voiced so as to avoid confusion with other sounds, I immediately jettisoned my nascent thought of trying Spanish!  I can't go through that again! :)