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Businessman's Suicide at Moscow Hotel May Be Ruble-Related

The co-owner of a financial services company has killed himself at a top Moscow hotel, in a suicide possibly linked to the strains of the falling ruble, Interfax reported.

The 70-year-old man, whose name has not been disclosed, shot himself at the prestigious National Hotel on Tuesday evening, the news agency reported, citing sources in law enforcement.

"It is possible that the reason for the suicide was the psychological strain [of the ruble's collapse]," one police source was cited as saying.

The ruble has lost more than 50 percent of its value against the U.S. dollar this year, taking a huge nosedive earlier this week, just ahead of the man's suicide.

The five-star National Hotel stands opposite the Kremlin on a corner of Tverskaya Ulitsa.

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