August 1986, after the redemption of imperial bonds issued before 1917, MNB played a key role in provision of an opportunity for the Soviet Union to get direct international loans again. MNB had long worked with Morgan Grenfell & Company. In 1991 the Central Bank of Russia became the owner of the control stock of MNB. Support on the part of MNB allowed Helen Sharman to become the first British cosmonaut in May 1991. In 1995 MNB opened its representative office in Canada. In 1997 MNB created a subsidiary CB Mosnarbank CJSC in Moscow, which later on merged with OJSC JCSB Evrofinance and formed Evrofinance Mosnarbank. In 1999 a new representative office was opened in Beijing. In December 2005 VTB acquires Moscow Narodny Bank Limited. Directors and General Managers Jean (Ivan) V. Bubnov (10.1919–06.1920) F. I. Shmelyov (06.1920–10.1924) Nikolai V. Gavrilov (10.1924–09.1925) F. I. Shmelyov (09.1925–08.1927) M. V. Zemblyukhter (08.1927–12.1931) Alexander I. Shvetsov (12.1931–12.1932) Emanuel Kviring (12.1932–09.1934) Michael Wuhl (09.1934–1937) Ivan M. Andreyev (03.1940–05.1947) A. A. Oleinik (05.1947–06.1950) Alexei A. Kuznetsov (06.1950–05.1953) Alexei A. Chernozub (05.1953–05.1959) Andrey I. Dubonosov (05.1959–04.1967) Nikolai V. Nikitkin (04.1967–09.1972) Sergei A. Shevchenko (09.1972–12.1976) Oleg N. Kulikov (12.1976–12.1982) Dmitry Ya. Penzin (12.1982–03.1987) Alexander S. Maslov (03.1987–07.1991) Alexander P. Semikoz (08.1991–07.1997) Yury V. Poletayev (01.1997–07.1997) Igor G. Suvorov (07.1997–12.2005) Yury V. Ponomaryov (03.1998–09.1999) MNB Family tree Notes References Banks of the Soviet Union Soviet Union–United Kingdom relations Banks based in the City of London