Russia's ruble banknotes are seen in this file photo taken on April 28, 2017. (Xinhua/Shi Hao)
MOSCOW, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Russian ruble went beyond 70 per U.S. dollar on the Moscow exchange on Monday for the first time since March 2016 due to fears of new U.S. sanctions, the exchange data showed.
The ruble was traded at 70.51 per dollar during the day, but it recoiled slightly to 70.36 by 17:45 Moscow Time (1430 GMT), according to data on the website of the Moscow Exchange.
The previous session on Friday closed with the ruble at 69.91 per dollar.
The ruble fell down to 60 per dollar in early April after several months of relative stability as a result of the previous set of U.S. sanctions.
The U.S. Treasury announced in April it had imposed new sanctions on 38 Russian individuals and entities, including seven business leaders and 17 senior officials, for their alleged "malign activity" around the world.
In July, the U.S. administration announced its decision to impose on Russia a new set of sanctions over the alleged poison attack on ex-Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the British city of Salisbury in March. Moscow has repeatedly denied its involvement.
The batch of the sanctions, which took effect on Aug. 27, ban the supply to Russia of dual-use products, goods and technologies related to U.S. national security, as well as supplies of electronics, components and technologies for the oil and gas industry.
However, Washington is likely to impose a new batch of sanctions around the end of November, unless Russia provides proof it no longer uses chemical or biological weapons and is willing to allow on-site inspections by the United Nations or other observers.
These may include, in particular, a ban of all U.S. exports to Russia except for food and agricultural commodities, a ban of all imports from Russia, suspension of flights by the Russian flag carrier Aeroflot to the United States, and a ban on all U.S. bank loans to Russia except for food purchases.
They may also include blocking by the United States of all assistance to Russia from international financial institutions and a downgrade or suspension of diplomatic relations with Moscow.
