MOSCOW - President Dmitry Medvedev promised to make big personnel changes in Russia's government if he becomes prime minister in a planned role reversal with Vladimir Putin after a March 2012 presidential vote.

"The government must be renewed ... it will be a pivotal renewal of the government - a government consisting of new people. I think this is fundamentally important," Medvedev said in an interview with Russia's leading television channels, according to transcript released on Friday.

Medvedev also suggested that one reason for the decision for Putin to seek a return to the Kremlin and Medvedev to stay out of the presidential race was that Putin is more popular.