MOSCOW, Dec 30 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russia’s President Vladimir Putin thanked US counterpart Donald Trump for intelligence that helped to foil attacks on Russian soil, the Kremlin said.
Putin thanked Trump “for the transfer, through special services, of information allowing the prevention of terrorist acts in Russia”, the president’s office said in a statement.
Russia’s FSB, a successor to the KGB, quoted by Russian agencies, said two Russian citizens were arrested on Friday suspected of planning an attack in St Petersburg during the New Year festivities.
They appeared to have been preparing a “terrorist act”, the reports said.
According to Tass news agency, two Russian nationals were arrested for plotting an attack on a mass gathering of people in St Petersburg – the country’s second largest city – over the New Year period.
The outlet cited a spokesperson from the FSB, the Russian intelligence agency, formerly the KGB, which Putin used to run.
But this isn’t the first time US spies have prevented a depraved terrorist act on innocent civilians in Russia.
In 2017, Putin thanked Trump for warning about another terror plot which was again targeting St Petersburg.
The pair of world power brokers have often exchanged compliments despite their countries being at odds over topics such as the Syrian civil war.
Although Moscow and Washington are at odds on many issues, both regularly stress their mutual determination to fight terrorism. — NNN-AGENCIESe
