Report says Putin may return to Kremlin in 2009

By Guy Faulconbridge

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin could return to the presidency next year, a Russian newspaper reported on Thursday citing a source close to the Kremlin, but Putin's spokesman said the report was untrue.

A proposal on Wednesday by Putin's protege President Dmitry Medvedev to extend the presidential term from four to six years has re-ignited speculation that Putin, who stepped down this year because of a term limit, could be preparing a comeback.

Vedomosti newspaper reported that the proposed term extension was part of a plan drawn up by Vladislav Surkov, Medvedev's first deputy chief of staff, to trigger an early presidential election in which Putin would run.

"Under this scenario Medvedev could resign early citing changes to the constitution and then presidential elections could take place in 2009," the newspaper said, citing the unidentified source close to the Kremlin.

In the interim, Medvedev would push through unpopular social reforms and implement the changes to the constitution to extend the presidential term "so that Putin could return to the Kremlin for a longer period," the newspaper said.

The paper said Putin could then serve as president for two six-year terms, from 2009 to 2021.

"These are purely the ponderings of the newspaper and the report is absolutely without foundation," Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said by telephone when asked for comment on the report.

"The president of the Russian Federation is Dmitry Medvedev, who was elected for a concrete period in office," Peskov said.