MOSCOW: The rouble weakened on Monday, sliding past 63 against the dollar for the first time in over three months, while Russian stocks dived lower on intensifying geopolitical risks and a sharp drop in Gazprom shares as it started trading ex-dividend.

Geopolitics and sanctions risks have buffeted Russian markets in recent weeks since President Vladimir Putin moved to annex four regions of Ukraine after Moscow held what it called referendums - votes that were denounced by Kyiv and Western governments as illegal and coercive.

Explosions rocked Kyiv on Monday, two days after a powerful blast damaged the bridge linking Russia and the Crimean peninsula that Moscow annexed in 2014.

By 1306 GMT, the rouble was 3.1% weaker against the dollar at 62.88, earlier passing 63 for the first time since July 7.

It had lost 2.8% to trade at 61.55 versus the euro , and had shed 1.5% against the yuan to 8.63 , earlier clipping a near three-week low against both currencies.

Moscow Exchange staged a discrete auction of Gazprom shares shortly after market opening. Later in the day, the energy giant’s shares, heavily weighted in the overall index, were trading around 16.1% lower.