Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Monday that he plans to maintain an active role in Russian politics for years to come, but would not reveal whether he will stand in 2012 presidential elections.

Russia's political strongman, who was president from 2000 to 2008, also bluntly defended police action against banned anti-government protests, saying in an interview published in the Russian daily Kommersant that such protestors deserved to be pummelled.

Putin said he was not obsessed with the upcoming elections and had no "narcotic dependence" on political ratings.