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The popular Russian daily published a portrait of the writer with half of his hair painted in the colours of the Russian flag and the other half in the hues of the Ukrainian one.
But Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko was not amused as he visited the Gogol museum in central Ukraine.
"I consider all these proprietary arguments insane and humiliating in a way," Yushchenko said.
"He belongs to Ukraine without a doubt. And his work belongs to the world culture, but also without a doubt to the Russian one," he added in remarks carried by Interfax.
According to a source close to the presidency, however, Yushchenko veered from his scripted address, which had him say: "Without a doubt, (Gogol) belongs to Russia."
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin also staked ownership claims, describing Gogol as "this remarkable Russian writer...bound irrevocably to two brother countries, Russia and Ukraine," Interfax reported him saying.
Gogol expert Yury Mann sided with Russia.
"Nobody disputes the fact that Gogol adored Ukraine," he told the country's official Rossiyskaya Gazeta.
"Nonetheless, Gogol is obviously a Russian writer. He considered himself as such."
Considered one of the masters of world literature, Gogol depicted Ukrainian popular traditions and society life in 19th-century Russia in his works.
He died in Moscow in 1852 after spending a large part of his life in Russia.
But Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko was not amused as he visited the Gogol museum in central Ukraine.
"I consider all these proprietary arguments insane and humiliating in a way," Yushchenko said.
"He belongs to Ukraine without a doubt. And his work belongs to the world culture, but also without a doubt to the Russian one," he added in remarks carried by Interfax.
According to a source close to the presidency, however, Yushchenko veered from his scripted address, which had him say: "Without a doubt, (Gogol) belongs to Russia."
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin also staked ownership claims, describing Gogol as "this remarkable Russian writer...bound irrevocably to two brother countries, Russia and Ukraine," Interfax reported him saying.
Gogol expert Yury Mann sided with Russia.
"Nobody disputes the fact that Gogol adored Ukraine," he told the country's official Rossiyskaya Gazeta.
"Nonetheless, Gogol is obviously a Russian writer. He considered himself as such."
Considered one of the masters of world literature, Gogol depicted Ukrainian popular traditions and society life in 19th-century Russia in his works.
He died in Moscow in 1852 after spending a large part of his life in Russia.
