Putin called Trump to thank CIA for tip on bomb threat

— -- The White House confirmed Sunday that Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke with President Donald Trump in what Russian state media has described as a thank-you call following a CIA tip about a bomb threat in St. Petersburg.

Russia's main state broadcaster, Vesti, said Sunday that Putin called Trump to thank him for a CIA tip that helped Russian police thwart a terrorist attack in St Petersburg.

According to Vesti, Putin asked Trump to thank CIA Director Mike Pompeo for providing the information, and he told the U.S. president that "the Russian security services, in the case where they receive information regarding terrorist threats in relation to the U.S. and its citizens, will without question and immediately pass it to their American colleagues."

News of the call comes after arrests in St. Petersburg of men accused of an ISIS-linked plot that would target the city's Kazan cathedral and other busy places.

Russia's security service said in a statement Friday it had arrested two men around Dec. 13 and 14 whom it said were in possession of a large quantity of weapons and explosives. The security service said the men had been planning to carry out a suicide attack on Saturday, Dec. 16, and to simultaneously detonate bombs at other locations.

Three other men were arrested in St. Petersburg on Dec. 14. They have been charged with illegal weapons possession and with theft or solicitation of nuclear materials or radioactive substances.

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders confirmed the call from Putin to Trump took place and said a readout would be provided to the press shortly.