Moscow ? In a commanding, czar-like performance, Vladimir Putin conducted a live televised question-and-answer session Thursday that indicated once again that he considers himself Russia’s leader, even though he now holds its No. 2 position.

During the three-hour chat, the widely popular prime minister tried to calm Russians’ fears about the economy, said he is encouraged by U.S. President-elect Barack Obama, and used crude language in a tirade against Georgia’s president.

But above all Putin’s annual Q&A session — the first since he yielded the presidency to his protege Dmitry Medvedev in May — signaled that he is still the one calling the shots in Russia.

By continuing a tradition that keeps him far more prominent than his own prime ministers ever were, Putin also fueled speculation about an early return to the presidency — something he tried to downplay to reporters afterward.

“The next election is in 2012, and I think everyone in their own place should fulfill their own duties,” Putin said. “There’s no need to make a fuss about what will happen in 2012. We’ll make it to that point and we’ll see.”