Adrenaline-seeking Russian couple behind viral extreme climb in New York City

04 July 2026 00:50

A viral proposal staged atop the Empire State Building by a well-known Russian “rooftopping” couple has spread rapidly across social media and international news outlets, drawing renewed attention to the extreme past activity of "roofing".

Following their arrest by New York police after descending from the skyscraper’s staggering height of 443.2 meters and their subsequent release without bail, further details have emerged about the pair behind the stunt, as American media reports.

Angela Nikolau and Ivan Kuznetsov, also known as Ivan Beerkus, are now facing multiple charges including burglary, criminal trespass, and reckless endangerment. Their next court appearance is scheduled for August 24. If convicted, they could face significant fines and prison sentences of up to seven years.

Nikolau, 33, and Kuznetsov, 32, are Russian nationals currently living in East Orange, New Jersey. Over nearly a decade, they have built a global following by illegally scaling some of the world’s tallest buildings and documenting their climbs.

Their known ascents include landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, Shanghai Tower, and numerous skyscrapers in Hong Kong, among others.

The pair’s story was featured in the 2024 documentary "Skywalkers: A Love Story", which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival before being acquired by Netflix for global distribution. The film concludes with their climb of Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur, the second-tallest building in the world.

Beyond documentary work, the duo has also collaborated with commercial brands, which famously includes a campaign for the fashion label Diesel, as well as drone photo equipment brands.

During the Empire State Building stunt, the couple displayed a banner reading: “When the power of love beats the love of power, the world knows peace.” The phrase is widely attributed to guitarist Jimi Hendrix, though its origin remains disputed.

According to Russian outlets citing information the couple revealed in their documentary, Nikolau grew up in Moscow in a family of circus performers, where she developed an early interest in dance and acrobatics before moving into rooftop climbing. Kuznetsov also grew up in Moscow and began climbing rooftops on his own before gaining a large online following of more than 200,000 people through his extreme photography and videos before meeting his future fiancée. The two met in 2016 during an ascent of the Goldin Finance 117 skyscraper in Tianjin, China, marking the beginning of their partnership both in life and in extreme climbing.