But Medvedev focused on anti-crisis measures such as economic reforms to make Russia less dependent on oil and gas and the creation of a new global financial system in the interview, his second with a Russian newspaper since becoming president.
"If it turns out in a phase of the crisis that this or that manager is not coping well, an effective replacement of him will have to be found," Medvedev said in a reference to heads of federal agencies, governors and the heads of state companies.
Medvedev said he would make such replacements "in the future," without elaborating.
A huge drop in oil and gas revenues amid the crisis has left the government scrambling to readjust spending while fulfilling key commitments. Among the obligations are the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, where the government has repeatedly insisted that preparations remain on schedule. But Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Saturday replaced the chief of the state Olympstroi corporation, which is in charge of Olympic construction. (Story, front page.)
No wave of dismissals, however, is likely to take place until at least late August, said Alexander Morozov, an independent political analyst. "It's summer now, the vacation season," Morozov said.
Late August is also when Medvedev expects to see the first legislation to deal with energy, defense, agriculture and the Internet ?€” issues that he described in the interview as priorities.
Although Medvedev didn't make any announcements in the interview, it was "not so much the content" that mattered but his "intention to build a dialog" with society and "demonstrate his openness," said Tatyana Stanovaya, an analyst with the Center for Political Technologies.
Morozov and Stanovaya noted that Russian leaders traditionally give interviews to coincide with significant events, such as the three-day St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, which opened Thursday.
Medvedev used his first interview with a Russian newspaper, Novaya Gazeta, in April to talk about democracy and civil rights.
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