Two Russian climbers illegally scaled the Empire State Building, got engaged at the top, and were arrested by the NYPD

In what was one of the most surprising news stories of the week in New York, a couple dressed in black climbed to the top of the Empire State Building’s antenna in Manhattan and, by the time they came down, they were engaged—and, much to their dismay, under arrest.

According to WABC, the Russian couple—Angela Nikolau, 33, and Ivan Kuznetsov, 32; are facing multiple charges following the operation, including trespassing, reckless endangerment, criminal damage, violation of local ordinances, possession of burglary tools, criminal tampering, criminal intrusion, and disorderly conduct. Both were taken from a police station in NYPD police station in Midtown on Wednesday night.

Hours earlier, Nikolau and Kuznetsov unfurled a pro-peace banner at the tip of the building’s spire and kissed shortly after noon. The banner read: “When the power of love beats the love of power, the world knows peace.” 

The police tried to negotiate their way down, but the couple had another goal in mind. After spending some time at the top, generating excitement among onlookers and media coverage, they began their descent. It was then that Kuznetsov proposed to Nikolau, pulling out a ring. She said yes, tried on the ring, and wore it for the rest of the descent. The couple recorded the entire episode with their own camera and shared it publicly, including footage of the proposal.

At least two members of the NYPD’s Emergency Services Unit (ESU), wearing harnesses, climbed up to meet the suspects halfway up the spire and took them into custody shortly before 1:00 p.m. One of the officers who participated in the rescue had graduated from the ESU academy just the previous Monday. The officers were never exposed to the elements during the operation and remained inside the spire’s structure, using extenders typically employed in confined spaces and bridges to guide the couple to safety.

The NYPD released body camera footage of the arrest and is currently reviewing the building’s security footage. According to the investigation, the couple reportedly entered through a locked maintenance hatch on the 102nd floor of the observation deck and had been observing staff movements beforehand. How they managed to open the door is, for now, one of the central focuses of the investigation.

Several witnesses said the scene was surprising and, at times, amusing, until they realized how dangerous the situation was.

“Well, I was on the top, the very top, along come these two people. Opened the mesh. Assumed they worked there and nobody stopped them,” Julie Morris told WABC, who was on the observation deck when the Russian couple trespassed into the restricted area.

“At first, it was kind of like comical and seemed a little bit wild and crazy. And then I'll be honest, once you're out on the observation deck, I was like, I feel like we shouldn't be out here. It didn't really seem like super safe,” said witness Laura Staub.

The Empire State Building issued a statement assuring that at no time was there any danger to tenants, visitors, or guests at the observation deck, and noted that the venue offers a convenient way to stage memorable marriage proposals.

Nikolau and Kuznetsov are internationally known for their unauthorized climbs and were the subjects of the 2024 documentary "Skywalkers: A Love Story," available on Netflix. The Empire State Building had previously been climbed without authorization on its antenna and other parts of the structure; one exception was actor and musician Jared Leto, who was allowed to climb to the base of the antenna from the 86th floor in 2023 to promote a tour.