Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has defended his record after a decade in power and hinted run again for the office in 2012.
"Don't hold your breath," Mr Putin (57) said during his annual call-in show today when asked if he planned to retire from politics.
There's still "enough time" to think about the elections, said Mr Putin, who favoured Dmitry Medvedev's presidency last year in part because the constitution bans three consecutive terms.
Mr Medvedev, who is seeking a political voice distinct from his mentor's, only hours later told reporters in Rome that he also doesn't rule out running in the next elections. The 44-year old lawyer outlined his vision for a modern, democratic Russia in an address to the nation three weeks ago.
Russia's top two politicians are jostling for the public's attention even as they profess a close working relationship and shared goals. Mr Medvedev is staking out his own territory by criticizing the oil-based economic growth of Putin's presidency, deploring the glorification of Soviet leader Josef Stalin and calling for an end to corruption and cronyism.
In a four-hour call-in show, Mr Putin fielded dozens of questions from citizens, who quizzed him on pensions, schools, medical care and job security.
Mr Putin, who began the tradition of the show during his eight-year presidency, reeled off figures from memory and outlined government programs, reminding viewers that "not all problems can be solved from Moscow."
Bloomberg