The man Russian President Vladimir Putin has endorsed as his preferred successor says Mr. Putin should become prime minister after the March presidential elections.
First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev made the statement in a televised address Tuesday, one day after receiving President Putin's support.
Medvedev also said the country needs to continue to follow Mr. Putin's policies after the election.
The Russian constitution bars Mr. Putin from running for a third straight term, but he has expressed an interest in retaining a powerful role once he steps down.
Medvedev is a long-time Putin ally from St. Petersburg who served as Mr. Putin's campaign manager in 2000. He currently heads Russia's giant natural gas monopoly Gazprom. Analysts describe him as a liberal who is less confrontational toward the West than many of his Kremlin colleagues.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.
