Putin has already ushered in amendments to the constitution that extended Russia's presidential term from four years to six. Some observers wonder if Putin may contemplate changing the rules again to stay on beyond 2024, when he will be 72 years of age.
Observers are now speculating that the Kremlin could look to the example set in Beijing. China's Communist Party is moving to amend the country's constitution to allow President Xi Jinping to serve a third term in office, potentially extending his presidency indefinitely.
"The action of Xi Jinping is kind of a road map for Putin," said Andrei Kolesnikov, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Moscow Center.