Illya

[rachaeljurassic.livejournal.com]

I know this is contentious but in Ukraine there are definitely two 'l's in Illya. As opposed to the Russian one occupying second place.

Forgive me if this has been discussed to death but I'm new around here and I've always thought that two 'l's is correct.

Also, I'm confined to my apartment for two weeks and may become increasingly crazy.....

Comments

[laurose8.livejournal.com]

I'd like to say thanks, too.

Perhaps he could have been partly Ukrainian, anyway? I believe in those days if you had one Russian parent you could claim Russian nationality, which was advantageous.

[rachaeljurassic.livejournal.com]

In my own little IK world his dad is Russian (since Kuryakin is more of a Russian name) and his mum is Ukrainian (since Illya has two l's!).

And I'd decided he would probably have 'Russian' as a nationality, partly for the reason you stated - although it certainly wasn't an advantage in Kiev between 1941 and 1943.