Rouble tumble busts Russian property buying boom in Spain

Madrid

SPAIN was counting on rich Russians to help revive its stricken property market by buying homes on its sunny coasts - until the rouble collapsed on falling oil prices and the Ukraine crisis.

The sharp fall of the Russian currency, driven by slumping oil prices and sanctions over Moscow's backing for separatists in Ukraine, knocked some Spanish estate agents back down just as they were staggering to their feet.