isis-flag
An ISIS flag is seen in this picture illustration, Feb. 18, 2016. REUTERS/DADO RUVIC

Russia’s security service has arrested 10 people with links to the Islamic State group (ISIS) for planning terrorist attacks in Moscow and St. Petersburg. The statement from the Federal Security Service was reported by Russian news agencies Saturday.

The security service, known by its acronym FSB, said in the statement that those arrested were from Central Asian countries and the arrests were made in cooperation with the former Soviet republics of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

On Saturday, the FSB seized homemade bombs and firearms from the suspects, who had contacts with ISIS members.

“They had a total of four powerful IEDs in their arsenals, which were seized. The suspects confessed to having contacts with leaders of the terrorist group Islamic State based in the Middle East," FSB reportedly said in the statement. “They also identified targets of their attack, accomplices and a support base both in Russia and in other countries.”

Moscow's military involvement in the war-torn Syrian region has been widely criticized by the United States. Moscow has defended its actions, which include large-scale airstrikes on multiple targets, as it sees it as a way of repelling any potential attack on Russia.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has announced that he is poised to work together with Russian President Vladimir Putin to wipe out ISIS.