Rewrite a fully new long article using the information from
NEW YORK (WABC) — The couple who climbed to the top of the Empire State Building on Wednesday got supervised release following a brief court appearance Thursday after being formally charged for their engagement stunt.
The lovebirds, who currently live in East Orange, made headlines and captivated the city by climbing to the top of the Empire State Building’s spire before getting engaged, all while the world was watching.
The couple, 32-year-old Ivan Kuznetsov and 33-year-old Angelina Nikolau, were arraigned Thursday morning after spending the first night of their engagement in separate holding cells.
They appeared before a judge wearing the same black clothes they were seen climbing in on Wednesday.
They are formally charged with reckless endangerment, burglary, criminal mischief and other charges.
They did not enter a plea, but their lawyer said the district attorney’s office “overcharged” the case. They received a supervised release until their next court date on Aug. 24.
“Even the Empire State Building’s own people said that there was no risk or danger to any of the tenants, to any of the guests on the observation deck, or anyone in the building,” attorney Jason Krinsky said.
But officials say police had to risk their lives to get them down.
“As for what I would call the harrowing body camera video that we released last night, recorded by the officers responding to that stunt, it really can take your breath away,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.
According to the criminal complaint, a lock on a 104th-floor security door had been broken, allowing the suspects access to the broadcasting antenna more than 1,300 feet above ground.
Investigators now believe the suspects entered the Empire State Building the night before and hid there overnight.
At 5 a.m. Wednesday, a security camera caught them going through a hatch on the 102nd floor, sources said. The sources said it appears the couple used tools to loosen the brackets to access a stairwell.
Cameras were rolling as the newly engaged couple shared a kiss as they entered the Chambers Street subway station after leaving court on Thursday.
Kuznetsov told detectives he had to “do something special for his engagement,” according to the criminal complaint.
“As far as what I’ve seen, and I’m sure you have all seen, it was a message of love. You know, that’s a nice thing,” Krinsky said.
When asked if they were getting married in New York City, Nikolau said, “I hope so.”
ABC News spoke to the father of Nikalau, a Russian circus artist, who, interestingly, says the now-notorious couple are already married and that it was all part of a performance.
Kuznetsov, also known as Beerkus, and Nikolau are from Moscow, and they’re well known for scaling some of the world’s tallest structures.
When they climbed the Empire State Building on Wednesday, they also unfurled a banner that said: “When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace.”
On the way down, Kuznetsov appeared to propose to Nikolau.
It happened as the couple came down from the 1,454 feet spire of Empire State Building.
The NYPD’s highly skilled Emergency Service Unit scaled the spire to help bring them down.
The NYPD has released body camera footage of the two people who are in custody after trespassing and climbing the Empire State Building.
Kuznetsov and Nikolau are facing numerous charges following their stunt, as investigators look into how it happened.
“They didn’t just stumble into that hatch. There was what we would call pre-observational surveillance. Someone cased the joint if you will,” said Greg Sanfilippo, vice president of Doyle Security Services.
Nikolau and Kuznetsov are known for their daredevil climbs around the world. In fact, they were profiled in the 2024 documentary “Skywalkers: A Love Story,” currently available on Netflix.
In a statement, the Empire State Building wrote, “There was at no time danger to tenants, visitors, and Empire State Building Observation Deck guests. It is to be emphasized that the Empire State Building Observation Deck, atop the World’s Most Famous Building in the center of New York City, does offer a practical way for the most memorable marriage proposals.”
Daredevils have previously climbed the antenna and other parts of the Empire State Building. Those ascents have largely been unauthorized, but actor and musician Jared Leto was allowed to climb up to the base of the antenna from the 86th floor in 2023 to promote a tour.
———-
* Get Eyewitness News Delivered
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News
Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.
Copyright © 2026 WABC-TV. All Rights Reserved.
make sure the article is SEO-optimized following all the SEO Guides, from Focus Keyword to H2 and H3 titles and so on.
the article must explain all the details in a very clear and engaging structure.
very important: Use external links for keywords and sentences inside the article you will generate to boost the SEO.
Avoid writing any author related or donation related texts.
Avoid writing what you did in the articles because the article is published for visitors to read.
