Intelligence reports from the United States government has helped Russia foil a plot by terrorists to attack the Kazansky Cathedral in the country’s second largest city of St. Petersburg as well as other parts of the city.

In a rare public show of cooperation between both countries despite strained relations, Russian President, Vladimir Putin called his US counterpart, Donald Trump to thank him for the tip – off which prevented a militant bomb attack that had also targeted other locations in the city where large number of people gathered, promising to reciprocate the supportive gesture if the need arose.

Although neither the White House nor the Kremlim disclosed details about the plot or the identity of the would -be attackers, the timely warning from the US enabled Russian law enforcement agencies to track and arrest the suspects before they could carry out their plans.

The White House however says the foiled plot on St. Petersburg was an indication of what Moscow and Washington could achieve if both countries cooperated.

Relations between both nations have been strained over disagreements over the wars in Syria and Ukraine as well the complications created by US allegations that Kremlin meddled in last year’s US presidential election to help Trump win, an allegation which the Russian government had severally denied.