It has long been obvious that Vladimir Putin  the current prime minister and former president of Russia  craves his dominant hold on power. Still, it was disconcerting to hear him signal publicly on Thursday that he might seek the presidency again in 2012.

Mr. Putin displayed a master politician’s coyness in addressing the issue at a public forum where he took scores of questions. Would he run again? “I’ll think about it,” he replied. Asked at another point if it was time to relax after decades of government service, he said: “Don’t hold your breath.”

A lot could happen between now and then. Politicians change their minds all the time. Mr. Putin could decide to stay as prime minister and have his sidekick, Dmitri Medvedev, the current president, run again for president. At a minimum, Mr. Putin may be encouraging speculation about his political future to enhance his influence  or to divert attention from more important matters like economic reform or the demographic crisis facing Russia.

Whether or not the two men trade jobs or try to keep the ones they have, Mr. Putin  who first became president in 2000 and would be eligible to run again in 2012  could conceivably stay in power until at least 2024.