[Arran]

Mike;
  I'm pretty sure that they refer to electron tubes in France as "Lampes" as well, at least that was the terminology they used for them back in the 1920s and 30s in their advertising. It kind of makes sense that they would call them lamps in the USSR, from what I remember the French were one of the Western European countries that the Russian Empire, and later the USSR, seemed to be on reasonable terms with. In fact France and Russia were both members of the "Triple Entente", along with Great Briitain, prior to WW1.
Regards
Arran