The couple who were arrested after scaling the Empire State Building in New York City for a daredevil proposal are out on “supervised release” after being hit with multiple charges.
Russians Ivan Kuznetsov, 32, and Angela Nikolau, 33, appeared in court on Thursday, facing felony charges of burglary, reckless endangerment, and criminal mischief when a judge reportedly granted the couple supervised release.
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The pair climbed to the top of the Empire State Building on Wednesday afternoon, where they unveiled a flag that read, “When the power of love beats the love of power, the world knows peace.” They hung the flag at the top of the building’s radio and television transmission tower, which sits 1,454 feet over Manhattan.
Kuznetsov and Nikolau were wearing all black with masks as they ascended the structure. When they reached the platform connecting to the building’s antenna, Kuznetsov fell to one knee and proposed.
During the court appearance following the proposal, Nikolau was not wearing her engagement ring, according to photos shared to social media.
Their defense attorney, Jason Krinsky, told the judge that the act of trespassing was a “message of love” and argued Kuznetsov should be given some credit because his now-fiancee said “yes,” the New York Post reported. The outlet also reported that law enforcement sources claimed the couple bought tickets the night prior to their climb and hid in the building overnight.
TWO PEOPLE CLIMB TO TOP OF EMPIRE STATE BUILDING WITH FLAG
Kuznetsov and Nikolau have gone viral on social media for scaling the tallest structures in the world, then kissing at the top. Kuznetsov has 400,000 followers on Instagram, and Nikolau has over 1.1 million.
The Russian climbers were the subject of a Netflix documentary, Skywalkers: A Love Story, which was released in 2024. The two were born in Moscow but now live in New York and have illegally climbed tall buildings around the world.
