MOSCOW, March 18. /TASS/. The dollar exchange rate against the ruble gained 3.4% since its previous closure on the Moscow Exchange on Wednesday to 78.01 rubles, according to the trading data.

The euro is up 3.45% at 85.76 rubles.

The dollar exceeded the 79 rubles mark as trading opened hitting the February 2016 high.

The Russian currency is declining as the price of Brent crude oil futures for May delivery lost 3.4% on London’s ICE to $27.75 per barrel, while the WTI oil price dropped by 5.5% to $25.82 per barrel.