ST. PETERSBURG, December 31 (RAPSI, Mikhail Telekhov) - Two Russian citizens charged with plotting a New Year terrorist attack in St. Petersburg have been placed in detention, the United press service of the city's courts has told RAPSI.

By the decision of the Dzerzhinsky District Court of St. Petersburg, Georgy Chernyshov, 23, and Nikita Semenov, 22, have been detained until February 29.

Intelligence officers learnt about planned terrorist attacks on December 27 from their U.S. colleagues, who had transferred them information on two Russian men sworn to a leader of the Islamic State terrorist organization banned in Russia.

The defendants have allegedly planned to commit terrorist attacks in one of the St. Petersburg malls and the Kazan Cathedral. According to the Federal Security Service (FSB), they have pleaded guilty.