VLADIMIR Putin has hinted he is open to making changes to the Russian constitution which some fear could allow him to rule forever.

The crafty premier dropped the bombshell as he dodged direct questions asking whether he planned to stay on in power in five years time.

1 Putin dropped the bombshell during a news conference with Russian and foreign media Credit: EPA

Putin’s current term ends in 2024 and at the moment he is not allowed to be president again as he has just served two consecutive terms.

He has occupied the top job in the Kremlin four times since he was first elected in 2000 but had to step down in 2008 because of current constitutional rules.

At the moment, there is no legal way for the 67-year-old to run again immediately, however speculation has been mounting about what could be done to keep him in power.

One of the options would be to change or scrap the number of presidential terms written in the current constitution.

Another would be to hand more powers to the government, parliament or a new body for Putin - whose approval ratings are close to 70 per cent - to lead.

At a press conference today, he was asked multiple times if he was going to stay in power or if he was supportive of an idea of changes to the regulations.

"Your humble servant completed two terms, then he left the post and had the constitutional right to return to the post of president - because it wasn't two successive terms," he said.

"Some of our experts and public figures were bothered by that (clause). We could, of course, remove it.

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"All of that could be done but only after a solid preparation and a thorough discussion in society."

Putin will barely be in his early 70s when his current term ends - younger than both President Donald Trump and his rival Joe Biden today.

And observers say there is little evidence power crazy Putin is preparing for a life of post-presidential leisure.