Although neither Warner Bros nor Russian officials have commented on the matter, Russian web sites and chat rooms have been reportedly flooded by messages debating whether President Putin looks like Dobby.
The debate soon went global, after BBC children's web site CBBC posted the results of an on-line poll, in which more than 7,000 users voted that Dobby does look like the Russian President. The results of the poll are due to be broadcast by Russian TV.
This is the second time Harry Potter has created controversy in Russia. Last year, the Russian Orthodox church demanded the Harry Potter books be banned for promoting occultism.