Why is Nikolay Gogol described as a Ukrainian-born writer who wrote in Russian?

Nikolay Gogol is described as a Ukrainian-born writer who wrote in Russian because his life and work spanned both cultural identities within the context of the Russian Empire.12

Born in Sorochintsy, near Poltava, in what is now Ukraine, Gogol was a member of the petty Ukrainian gentry. His early life was deeply shaped by the Ukrainian countryside, its Cossack traditions, and rich folklore, which served as the primary inspiration for his early literary successes, such as Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka.12

However, Gogol moved to St. Petersburg to pursue a career in the civil service and wrote his major works in the Russian language. By composing his novels and short stories in Russian, he became a central figure in Russian literature, significantly influencing the development of 19th-century realism through masterpieces like Dead Souls and The Overcoat.123