Nov. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Russia’s economy will match its pre- crisis level by 2012 and fully overcome the slump, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said at a meeting in Moscow today.

The government will probably run a deficit of 1.5 percent of gross domestic product next year, Putin said, adding that inflation may slow to 7 percent in 2011.

To contact the reporter on this story: Anna Shiryaevskaya in Moscow at ashiryaevska@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Paul Abelsky at pabelsky@bloomberg.net