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REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSummaryCompanies Russian rouble climbs to over 2-week high vs dollarMove comes after Putin reimposes currency controlsRouble had slumped to over 18-month low this weekAnalysts expect rouble to firm more in coming weeksOct 12 (Reuters) - Russia's rouble leapt against the U.S. dollar on Thursday after President Vladimir Putin ordered the mandatory sale of foreign currency revenues for some exporters to buttress the currency. The rouble collapsed to a record low in the weeks after Russia invaded Ukraine last year, before Moscow imposed similar capital controls that saw it recover to a seven-year high. Kogan warned, however, that by 2025-2026 businesses would form plans based on a rouble rate of 100-105. The central bank endorsed the measures, a shift in its stance, after it previously warned of the inefficiency of currency controls. "The rouble is even less tradable for foreign investors after Russia re-imposed some capital controls," Piotr Matys, senior FX analyst at In Touch Capital Markets.

Persons: Maxim Shemetov, Putin, Rouble, rouble, Vladimir Putin, Yevgeny Kogan, Kogan, Gref, Andrei Belousov, Piotr Matys, Dmitry Polevoy, Brent, Alexander Marrow, Amruta, Robert Birsel, Mark Potter, Varun, Alexander Smith Organizations: REUTERS, U.S, Russia's Higher, of Economics, TASS, Wednesday, Bank of Russia, FX, Touch, Thomson Locations: Moscow, Russia, Ukraine, outflows, Locko, Bangalore

An employee counts Russian 1000-rouble banknotes in a bank office in Moscow, Russia, in this illustration picture taken October 9, 2023. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/Illustration/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 10 (Reuters) - The Russian rouble dived towards a more than an 18-month low on Tuesday before paring most losses in a volatile session, under pressure from domestic demand for foreign currency and a drop in oil prices. By 1034 GMT, the rouble was 0.3% weaker against the dollar at 99.63 . It had lost 0.8% to trade at 105.55 versus the euro and shed 0.4% against the yuan to 13.64 . "The bank may show a record profit of 1.5 trillion roubles for the year."

Persons: Maxim Shemetov, Sber, Yevgeny Kogan, Alexander Marrow, Ed Osmond, Gareth Jones Organizations: REUTERS, Bank of Russia, Russia's Higher, of Economics, Thomson Locations: Moscow, Russia, Russian, Brent

REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/Illustration Acquire Licensing RightsOct 9 (Reuters) - The rouble rebounded after slumping to a more than 18-month low against the dollar on Monday in a volatile session, still hampered by reduced foreign currency supply but eventually latching on to higher oil prices to gain ground. By 1500 GMT, the rouble was 0.7% stronger against the dollar at 99.75 , recovering from hitting 102.3450 earlier, its weakest point since March 23, 2022. The Russian currency tumbled to a record low 121.5275 in the weeks after Moscow's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The rouble had gained 0.5% to trade at 105.24 versus the euro and firmed 0.6% against the yuan to 13.64 . The rouble-based MOEX Russian index (.IMOEX) was 0.9% higher at 3,172.2 points, earlier reaching a near one-month high.

Persons: Maxim Shemetov, rouble, Alexei Antonov, Alexander Marrow, Angus MacSwan, Mark Potter, Gareth Jones Organizations: REUTERS, Bank of Russia, Reuters, Brent, Thomson Locations: Moscow, Russia, Ukraine

A view shows a Russian one rouble coin in front of a screen in this illustration picture taken August 22, 2023. By 1125 GMT, the rouble was 1.8% weaker against the dollar at 102.18 , its weakest point since March 23, 2022. The Russian currency tumbled to a record low 121.5275 in the weeks after Moscow's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The rouble had lost 1.9% to trade at 107.76 versus the euro and shed 2.1% against the yuan to 14.01 . The rouble-based MOEX Russian index (.IMOEX) was 1.3% higher at 3,184.6 points, a near one-month high.

Persons: Maxim Shemetov, rouble, Alexei Antonov, Alexander Marrow, Angus MacSwan, Mark Potter Organizations: REUTERS, Bank of Russia, Reuters, Brent, Thomson Locations: Russian, Israel, Gaza, Ukraine

[1/2] A view shows a Russian one rouble coin in front of a screen in this illustration picture taken August 22, 2023. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/Illustration/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 5 (Reuters) - The Russian rouble weakened past 100 to the dollar to a more than seven-week low as President Vladimir Putin spoke on Thursday, hurt by reduced foreign currency supply from exporters early in the month. By 1535 GMT, the rouble was 0.7% weaker against the dollar at 100.30 , its weakest point since Aug. 14. The rouble has lost support of a favourable month-end tax period that usually sees exporters convert FX revenues to meet local liabilities. "But this will happen either in the second half of the month or when the exchange rate goes above 100 roubles per dollar," Antonov said.

Persons: Maxim Shemetov, Russian rouble, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Bogdan Zvarich, Alexei Antonov, Antonov, Alexander Marrow, Angus MacSwan, Paul Simao, William Maclean Organizations: REUTERS, Brent, Thomson Locations: Russian, Sochi, United States, Ukraine, Moscow, Alor

By 1150 GMT, the rouble was 0.6% stronger against the dollar at 99.17, having hit 100.2550 in early trade, a more than seven-week low. "There is still no cause for concern," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. "Expensive oil and an increase in the key rate are improving the outlook for the rouble, but in the medium-term," Promsvyazbank analysts said. They expected the rouble to make a short-lived move beyond 100 to the dollar in the absence of new support measures from the authorities. "This level (100) is not a technical resistance, it's an important psychological barrier," said Alor Broker's Alexei Antonov.

Persons: Maxim Shemetov, Dmitry Peskov, Brent, Vladimir Putin's, Alexei Antonov, Lidia Kelly, Alexander Marrow, Andrew Heavens, Alison Williams Organizations: REUTERS, Bank of Russia, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Russian, Moscow, Russia, Ukraine, Melbourne, London

In 2021, the year before Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine, defence spending totalled 3.57 trillion roubles, 14.4% of total spending. In 2022, the share of defence spending rose to 17.7%, data on Russia's electronic budget page showed earlier this year. That may mean that defence spending will also be significantly higher than first envisaged. Moscow doubled its target for defence spending in 2023 to 9.7 trillion roubles, Reuters reported exclusively in August, citing a government document. EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE FREEZEAs defence spending in 2024 triples from pre-invasion levels, the share of spending on "national security", which covers funding for law enforcement agencies, is also rising, set to reach 9.2% in 2024, the documents showed.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Mikhail Metzel, Anton Siluanov, Siluanov, Donets, Dmitry Peskov, Darya, Alexander Marrow, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: Sputnik, REUTERS, Defence, Reuters, CIS, Renaissance, Thomson Locations: Moscow, Russia, Kremlin, Ukraine, Russian

Oct 2 (Reuters) - Russian technology company Astra on Monday said it was planning to list its shares on Moscow Exchange this month in an initial public offering (IPO), potentially breathing some life into Russia's moribund equity capital markets. Electric scooter firm Whoosh (WUSH.MM) was the only Russian firm to hold an IPO last year, but its debut raised less than half its initial target and relied heavily on Russian retail investors for capital. Astra dominates Russia's operating system (OS) market with its Astra Linux software. Alfa Bank analysts valued Astra, which more than doubled its core earnings year on year to 5.4 billion roubles in 2022, at around 70 billion-90 billion roubles ($707 million-$909 million) in a report published on Monday. Also on Monday, spirits producer Kristall said it was hoping to raise 1.5 billion roubles in a fourth quarter IPO on Moscow Exchange, something it said would significantly accelerate growth.

Persons: pipemaker, Ilya Sivtsev, Sivtsev, Kristall, Alexander Marrow, Louise Heavens, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: Astra, Moscow, Astra Linux, Reuters, Alfa Bank, Moscow Exchange, Thomson Locations: Russian, Ukraine

Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said Russia would return to following its budget rule in 2024, envisaging an oil price of $60 per barrel. The government was discussing budget plans for the next three years. Bloomberg News reported that Russia is also planning a huge hike in defence spending next year, swelling to 6% of GDP from 3.9% in 2023 and 2.7% in 2021. Siluanov said Russia planned to raise domestic borrowing to more than 4 trillion roubles annually to fund its deficits. Siluanov said Russia's NWF would hold 6.7 trillion roubles by end-2024, down from 13.7 trillion roubles, or 9.1% of GDP as of Sept. 1.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Denis Manturov, Alexei Krivoruchko, Mikhail Metzel, Mikhail Mishustin, Mishustin, Anton Siluanov, Siluanov, Russia's, Vladimir Soldatkin, Darya Korsunskaya, Alexander Marrow, Mark Trevelyan Organizations: Sputnik, REUTERS Acquire, Finance, National Wealth Fund, Bloomberg News, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Izhevsk, Russia, Ukraine MOSCOW, Moscow, Ukraine

National flag flies over the Russian Central Bank headquarters in Moscow, Russia May 27, 2022. On Friday, it gave hawkish guidance that it would consider further rate increases at upcoming meetings and said inflationary risks remained significant. The central bank adjusted its year-end forecast for inflation to 6.0-7.0% from 5.0-6.5%. "Russia's central bank is a hawkish institution that takes its commitment to inflation fighting seriously," said Senior Emerging Markets Economist Liam Peach. Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina will shed more light on the bank's forecasts and policy in a media briefing at 1200 GMT.

Persons: Maxim Shemetov, jacking, Liam Peach, Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina, Alexander Marrow, Elena Fabrichnaya, Darya Korsunskaya, Maria Kiselyova, Amruta Khandekar, Andrew Osborn, William Maclean, Catherine Evans Organizations: Russian Central Bank, REUTERS, Kremlin, Capital Economics, Central Bank Governor, Thomson Locations: Moscow, Russia, Russian, Ukraine MOSCOW, Ukraine, London

Sept 14 (Reuters) - Russian retailer Magnit (MGNT.MM) said on Thursday it had fully completed a deal to buy back blocked shares from Western investors at a 50% discount by purchasing shares held through Euroclear, the first such arrangement since Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Magnit said it had bought back 21,903,163.8 shares from shareholders, representing about 21.5% of all issued and outstanding shares at an amount of around 48.5 billion roubles ($507.32 million). "Magnit's GDR program depositary bank, JP Morgan Chase Bank, also took part, as well as international investors," Magnit said, such as hedge funds, sovereign wealth funds and individuals. Magnit had tripled the size of its original offer after strong demand from Western investors. Russia's presidential office is currently reviewing a request from oil major Lukoil (LKOH.MM) to buy back up to 25% of its shares from foreign investors.

Persons: Magnit, Russia's, Magnit's, JPM, JP, Alexander Marrow, Gareth Jones Organizations: Reuters, Nordic, Magnit, Euroclear Bank, RIC, Kremlin, JPMorgan, JP Morgan Chase Bank, Thomson Locations: Euroclear, Ukraine, Russian, Italy, Singapore, Japan, Canada, Australia, United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Magnit, Russia, Uzbekistan, Magnit's Moscow, Washington, GDR

LONDON, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Russia said on Thursday it was expelling two U.S. diplomats whom it accused of working with a Russian national charged with collaborating with a foreign state. "The named people conducted illegal activity, maintaining contact with Russian citizen R. Shonov, accused of 'confidential cooperation' with a foreign state," the Russian statement said. In its statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Shonov had been paid to complete tasks aimed at damaging Russia's national security. Relations between Russia and the United States have plunged to their worst point for more than 60 years because of the war in Ukraine. The United States is providing advanced weaponry to Ukraine and has hit Russia with sanctions in response to its invasion in February 2022.

Persons: Lynne Tracy, Jeffrey Sillin, David Bernstein, Shonov, Robert Shonov, Sillin, Bernstein, Tracy, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Foreign Ministry, State Department, U.S . Consulate, United, Russian Foreign Ministry, Thomson Locations: Russia, Russian, U.S, Washington, Vladivostok, Ukraine, United States, Moscow

The logo of Russian technology giant Yandex is on display at the company's headquarters in Moscow, Russia December 9, 2022. Moscow already demands a 50% discount on all foreign deals after consultants selected by the Russian government have valued the business. But three people familiar with the exit process for foreign companies said that some deals are facing demands for additional discounts before the government gives a green light. Another person, who works on M&A transactions and with foreign companies, said deals exceeding $100 million were at particular risk of being denied. In its biannual financial stability review, the central bank said foreign companies under pressure to leave Russia were doing so on "unfavourable" terms.

Persons: Evgenia, Carlsberg's, Intesa, Vladimir Putin's, Suren Gortsunyan, Rybalkin, Gortsunyan, Alexey Kupriyanov, Elena Fabrichnaya, Alexander Marrow, Victor Goury, Josephine Mason, Jane Merriman Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Heineken, Arnest, Companies, Nasdaq, Russia, Dyakin, Partners, Aspring, Nato, Thomson Locations: Moscow, Russia, Ukraine, MOSCOW, Russian, London, Laffont, Gdansk

A Russian state flag flies over the Central Bank headquarters in Moscow, Russia, August 15, 2023. International sanctions against Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine have blocked many Russian investors' access to securities held in jurisdictions outside the country, while Russian countermeasures have frozen Western funds within. "Interested foreign investors would be given the opportunity to buy 'blocked' foreign securities from Russian investors in exchange for funds held in type-C accounts," the central bank said. "The participation of investors (both Russian and foreign) in this process will be voluntary." Finance Minister Anton Siluanov on Tuesday asked President Vladimir Putin to support the plans, starting with the unblocking of about 100 billion roubles ($1.06 billion) in frozen funds belonging to retail investors.

Persons: Shamil Zhumatov, Clearstream, Anton Siluanov, Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Polevoy, Alexander Marrow, Devika Organizations: Central Bank, Bank of, REUTERS, Wednesday, Moscow, Thomson Locations: Russian, Moscow, Russia, Bank of Russia, Ukraine, Europe, Locko

Arkady Volozh, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Yandex Group of Companies, attends a session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), Russia June 7, 2019. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/File PhotoAug 10 (Reuters) - The co-founder of Russian internet giant Yandex (YNDX.O), Arkady Volozh, on Thursday condemned what he described as Russia's "barbaric" invasion of Ukraine, days after criticism in Russia over his apparent efforts to distance himself from the country. "Russia's invasion of Ukraine is barbaric, and I am categorically against it," Volozh said in a statement. Volozh developed Yandex in Russia, creating the country's largest tech company and ultimately taking it public on the U.S. Nasdaq stock exchange in 2011. Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Yandex has sought to balance domestic pressure on one side with its Western investors on the other.

Persons: Arkady Volozh, Maxim, Volozh, –, Yandex, Alexander Marrow, Jason Neely Organizations: Yandex, of Companies, St ., Economic, REUTERS, U.S, Nasdaq, European Union, Thomson Locations: St, St . Petersburg, Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Ukraine –, Israel, Yandex

[1/2] The logo of Russian technology giant Yandex is on display at the company's headquarters in Moscow, Russia December 9, 2022. Maksut Shadaev, the head of Russia's ministry of digital affairs, told parliament in December that around 100,000 IT specialists had left Russia in 2022. It is not yet clear whether Volozh's comments may have any bearing on how Russia decides to proceed with the company. One of the sources said "hawks" in state companies believed nothing at all should be paid to foreigners. Two sources said VTB had never been a serious option as a buyer, given sanctions on the state lender.

Persons: Yandex, Maksut Shadaev, Ramzan Kadyrov, Arkady Volozh, Andrei Kostin, VTB, Alexei Kudrin, Alexander Marrow, Polina Devitt, Mike Collett, White, Susan Fenton Organizations: REUTERS, nationalising Nasdaq, Reuters, Yandex NV, Yandex, U.S, Kremlin, Thomson Locations: Moscow, Russia, nationalising, Ukraine, Serbia, Yandex

Under its budget rule, Russia sells foreign currency from its National Wealth Fund (NWF) to make up for any shortfall in revenue from oil and gas exports, or makes purchases in the event of a surplus. The central bank restarted its own separate interventions this month, selling 2.3 billion roubles' worth of foreign currency a day, something it said it would continue to do. The bank's decision means that from Thursday, daily FX sales will total 2.3 billion roubles, as opposed to net sales of 0.5 billion roubles envisaged previously. The bank said it may defer purchases within the budget rule framework to 2024. "We may see new measures to stabilise the situation on the FX market," the analysts said.

Persons: Elena Fabrichnaya, Alexander Marrow, Darya Korsunskaya, Kevin Liffey, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: of Russia, National Wealth Fund, Bank of, FX, Thomson Locations: Russia, Ukraine MOSCOW, Moscow, London

A view shows Russian rouble coins in this illustration picture taken March 25, 2021. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/IllustrationAug 9 (Reuters) - The rouble hit a more than 16-month low on Wednesday, hampered by strong foreign currency demand and limited supply, with Russia's shrinking trade surplus and widening budget deficit also hurting sentiment. By 1023 GMT, the rouble was 0.2% weaker against the dollar at 97.32 , earlier hitting 97.48, its weakest point since March 25, 2022. It has been under pressure all year from Russia's shrinking balance of trade, as export revenues fall and imports rebound, dropping around 28% year-to-date from levels near 70 to the dollar. Brent crude oil , a global benchmark for Russia's main export, was 0.7% higher at $86.80 a barrel.

Persons: Maxim Shemetov, Egor Zhilnikov, Alexey Antonov, Antonov, Alexander Marrow, Andrew Heavens, Sharon Singleton Organizations: REUTERS, Alor Broker, Brent, Thomson Locations: Alor

"I said that this should be absolutely excluded and all officials of the country should drive domestic cars," Putin said, telling officials they should strive to develop domestic brands, domestic cars, and other domestic products. Chinese carmakers are seizing market share in Russia, capitalising on the departure of Western players, auto industry data shows. Russia's Lada holds the number one spot in the domestic market, with its share for January-June at 32.6%, up from 21.6% last year. Lada's share slipped slightly in July year on year, as Chinese carmakers' sales continued rising rapidly, the data showed. Chinese brands, such as Haval (601633.SS), Chery and Geely (0175.HK), accounted for the next six spots in terms of market share in July.

Persons: VAZ, Alexey Malgavko, Vladimir Putin, PPK, Putin, capitalising, Russia's Lada, Lada's, Gleb Stolyarov, Alexander Marrow, Mark Potter Organizations: Lada, REUTERS, Mercedes, Benz, Renault, Nissan, Reuters, Chery, Geely, HK, Thomson Locations: Soviet, Izhevsk, Russia, Ukraine, Crimean, Kyiv, Moscow, Crimea

July 31 (Reuters) - Economic sanctions have been the biggest headache for Russia's business elite since the start of the war in Ukraine, but a drone strike in the heart of Moscow's financial district is forcing companies to think about their employees' safety. Tech giant Yandex (YNDX.O), which has offices dotted around the Russian capital including in Moskva-Citi, asked staff to vacate offices at night, when strikes on the Russian capital have tended to occur. One financial services professional said he did not think the attack would deter people from going to Moskva-Citi. A Telegram channel run by the Russian online media group Mash broadcast photos of the damage done to the digital ministry's headquarters. For one employee at a large Russian company, the attack was a "really scary" warning.

Persons: Nobody, Yandex, Dmitry Peskov, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Gareth Jones, Mark Potter Organizations: Sunday, Citi, Kremlin, Tech, Reuters, Telegram, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Moskva, Ukrainian, Russia, Moscow, Kyiv, Russian

Often dubbed "Russia's Google", Yandex has struggled to balance domestic pressures with the interests of its Western investors since Russia sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022. Yandex's net income fell to 9.6 billion roubles ($106.8 million) while its adjusted earnings before income, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) fell 4% to 24.7 billion roubles. Revenue continued to grow, however, gaining 55% to 182.5 billion roubles, Yandex said. Yandex's Dutch-registered holding company is advancing plans to divest ownership and control of most of Yandex Group with a corporate restructuring. U.S. sanctions imposed last week on Alexei Kudrin, the former finance minister now spearheading Yandex's restructuring efforts, could hamper those plans.

Persons: Yandex, Alphabet's, Alexei Kudrin, Gleb Stolyarov, Alexander Marrow, Jason Neely, Emma Rumney Organizations: Google, Yandex, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Russian, Ukraine, Russia, Yandex's, U.S

IMPORTED ASSEMBLY KITSAfter a chaotic decade following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russia encouraged Western carmakers to build factories. "Undoubtedly, the expansion of Chinese carmakers on the Russian market will continue," said Andrey Olkhovsky, the head of dealership chain Avtodom. It is a radical change of fortunes for Chinese carmakers in Russia. Production of Chinese vehicles only began in Russia in 2019 with the arrival of Chinese automotive company Great Wall Motor (601633.SS). LESS LOCAL INPUTUnder the partnership with Chinese firms, less of the production at former Western factories is currently conducted in Russia, the sources said.

Persons: Jetour, Maxim Shemetov, Moscow's, Sergei Sobyanin, French carmaker, JAC, Sehol, Moskvich, capitalising, Vladimir Bespalov, Vladimir Putin, Andrey Olkhovsky, Olkhovsky, Wall, Sollers, Avtovaz, Denis Manturov, Gleb Stolyarov, Alexander Marrow, Zhang Yan, Daniel Flynn Organizations: REUTERS, French, French carmaker Renault, Moscow Automobile Factory, JAC Motors, Reuters, Renault, Nissan, Russia's Industry, Trade Ministry, Wall, Chery, Geely, HK, Argo, Ford Transit, Nissan's St, Lada, China's FAW Group's, FAW, Western, Trade, Thomson Locations: Lyubertsy, Moscow Region, Russia, Soviet, Moscow, Anhui, Ukraine, Soviet Union, Western, Tula, Autostat, Tatarstan, Nissan's, Nissan's St Petersburg, St Petersburg, Leningrad, Japan, Europe, China, Shanghai

According to JPM's circular, the shares currently unaccounted for are estimated to be less than 1% of the shares held in custody at another financial institution. This meant Deutsche was unable to reconcile the company shares held at another custodian bank with the depositary receipts on its own books. The Bank of Russia did not immediately respond to a request for comment on JP Morgan's search for the potentially missing Magnit shares. More than 60% of Magnit's shares are free-float, with shareholders including major global asset managers, Refinitiv data shows. When first announcing the plans, Magnit said its voluntary tender offer was also addressed to JPM, regarding shares held in its DR program custody account.

Persons: Morgan Chase, Mike Segar, Morgan, JPM, Deutsche, Russia's, Magnit, Sinead Cruise, Alexander Marrow, Jane Merriman Organizations: Co, New York City, REUTERS, Reuters, Deutsche Bank, Deutsche Bank . Lawyers, Deutsche, Bank of Russia, Settlement Depository, NSD, Kremlin, Thomson Locations: New York, Ukraine, Moscow, Russian, Krasnodar, Russia, Uzbekistan, Euroclear

By 1156 GMT, the rouble was 1.8% weaker against the dollar at 89.15 after earlier hitting 89.3275, its weakest point since March 29, 2022. It lost 1.8% to trade at 96.74 versus the euro , also a 15-month low. It shed 1.4% against the yuan to 12.23 <CNYRUBTOM=MCX>, a more than 14-month low. The rouble lost a key support factor on Wednesday as a month-end tax period that typically sees exporters convert foreign currency revenues to meet local liabilities passed. Brent crude oil , a global benchmark for Russia's main export, was up 0.1% at $74.41 a barrel.

Persons: C.bank, Yevgeny Prigozhin's, Vladimir Putin's, Alexei Zabotkin, Zabotkin, Alexander Marrow, Jamie Freed, Robert Birsel, Jane Merriman, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: Alor Broker, Bank of Russia, Brent, Gazprom, Thomson Locations: Moscow, Russian, Alor, Russia, Ukraine

June 30 (Reuters) - The Russian rouble slumped to a more than 15-month low against the dollar and euro on Friday, weighed down by domestic political risk concerns after an aborted armed mutiny over the weekend and lacking support drivers. By 0734 GMT, the rouble was 0.8% weaker against the dollar at 88.26 after earlier hitting 88.6775, its weakest point since March 29, 2022. It lost 0.9% to trade at 95.97 versus the euro after also hitting a 15-month low of 96.3225. The rouble lost a key support factor on Wednesday as a month-end tax period that typically sees exporters convert foreign currency revenues to meet local liabilities passed. The rouble-based MOEX Russian index (.IMOEX) was 0.4% lower at 2,785.8 points.

Persons: Yevgeny Prigozhin's, Vladimir Putin's, Alexander Marrow, Jamie Freed, Robert Birsel Organizations: Alor Broker, Gazprom, Thomson Locations: Russian, Alor, Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Brent

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