MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian authorities are discussing bringing again the obligatory sale of overseas foreign money revenues for exporters, 5 sources aware of the matter informed Reuters, with one high-level supply saying that the change might be made “at any second”.

The necessity to reintroduce stringent capital controls comes as Russian authorities grapple with a sharply weakening rouble, which tumbled previous 100 to the greenback on Monday. An emergency 350-basis-point fee hike by the central financial institution on Tuesday, to 12%, appears to have solely slowed the foreign money’s slide.

5 sources, who requested to not be recognized due to the personal nature of the talks, mentioned authorities had been discussing the pressured conversion of FX revenues by exporters, a measure adopted shortly after Russia despatched tens of hundreds of troops into Ukraine in February 2022.

One supply at an exporting agency mentioned the discussions involved the pressured conversion of as much as 90% of exporters’ revenues. One other supply amongst exporters mentioned a variety of 80-90% was being mentioned, with conversion required inside 70-90 days after the export of products.

Different measures underneath dialogue are bans on dividend funds overseas and prohibitions on import subsidies, that supply added. Exporters who fail to return revenues to Russia might lose authorities help measures, too.

The supply mentioned companies would pay for the federal government’s errors.

“You’ll be able to milk a cow to loss of life, however as soon as the cow dies, who shall be milked? The inhabitants?” the supply mentioned.

The high-level supply hinted that the transfer was imminent, despite the truth that a part of Russia’s export revenues are actually in roubles and Indian rupees, a consequence of Moscow in search of to maneuver away from the currencies of what it considers “unfriendly” Western nations.

Russia has been supplying India with low cost oil. Russia’s RBC every day on Wednesday quoted the pinnacle of an Indian trade confederation as saying {that a} vital quantity of commerce between India and Russia is being performed in rupees, with mechanisms for settlement in roubles being explored.