Things looked to be going to plan for CSKA after an 18th minute own-goal by Mikhail Rozhkov gave the Muscovites the lead, but a Rostov shot took a wicked deflection off Georgy Shchennikov just before the break to level the score.
Hong's powerful shot from just inside the area came after Rostov had hit the bar, and left Igor Akinfeev in the CSKA goal with little chance.
"I want to thank the Rostov fans who travelled thousands of kilometers to support us in Moscow," the North Korean international told the Rostov website. "I dedicate my goal to them."
A 28th minute goal from Czech giant Jan Koller gave Volga Region side Krilya Sovetov a 1-0 win over Dynamo Moscow in the Russian capital, the three points meaning that the unfashionable club from Samara move into first place.
"Goals are not the most important thing for me," the striker told Sovetski Sport after his well-struck winner. "Achieving something on the pitch is more important than the amount of goals I score."
Spartak Moscow, boosted by the return of legendary trainer Oleg Romanstev in a consultant role, put in their best performance of the season to knock Rubin off the top of the table with 2nd half goals from Austrian defender Martin Stranzl and Brazilian striker Welliton.
Romantsev did not travel to the match, but "watched the game at home on television."
He also told Sovetski Sport that he had called Spartak manager Valery Karpin after the game.
"We congratulated each other like ordinary supporters," he told the paper.
Zenit St Petersburg beat Moscow Region side Khimki 4-2 in St. Petersburg to leave their opponents rooted to the bottom of the table, Russian international Igor Semshov grabbing the club's second after being handed a rare start by trainer Dick Advocaat. The win came after the club were fined almost $15,000 for fielding too many foreign players in their last match.
Lokomotiv Moscow trainer Rashid Rakhimov will have reason to fear for his future after the Muscovites lost 1-0 at home to newly promoted Kuban, an injury time goal from Ghanaian midfielder Haminu Dramani leaving the 2002 and 2004 Russian champions in twelfth place with just one win in six matches.
Results - April 25-26
Zenit 4-2 Khimki
Rubin 0-2 Spartak Moscow
CSKA Moscow 1-2 Rostov
Lokomotiv Moscow 0-1 Kuban
FC Moskva 2-1 Tom Tomsk
Terek Grozny 1-1 Saturn
Spartak Nalchik 4-1 Amkar
Dynamo Moscow 0-1 Krilya Sovetov
Table (six games)
Krilya Sovetov - 13
Zenit St Petersburg - 12
Rubin - 11
FC Moskva - 11
CSKA Moscow - 10
Spartak Moscow - 10
Dynamo Moscow - 9
Rostov - 9
Terek Grozny - 8
Tom Tomsk - 7
Kuban - 7
Lokomotiv Moscow - 6
Amkar - 6
Spartak Nalchik - 5
Saturn - 5
Khimki - 1
