{According to The Hollywood Reporter, 1,000 guests and an army of crew members, stylists and support were forced to sign NDAs.}
Angela (Angelina) Nikolau, Ivan “Beerkus” Kuznetsov
Current status (as of July 2026)
Russian urban climbers Angela (Angelina) Nikolau and Ivan “Beerkus” Kuznetsov (who uses the professional name Ivan Beerkus) were arrested by the NYPD after climbing the Empire State Building’s 1,454-foot spire on July 1, 2026. During the climb they: Unfurled a banner reading: “When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace.”
They ecame engaged atop the building. Descended before being taken into custody by NYPD Emergency Service Unit officers.
Criminal Charges
According to court documents and reporting, they were charged with multiple offenses, including:
• Burglary
• Reckless endangerment
• Criminal mischief
• Criminal trespass
• Criminal tampering
• Possession of burglar’s tools
• Disorderly conduct
• Violations of local laws
The allegations center on investigators’ claim that they: purchased admission tickets, hid inside the Empire State Building overnight, entered restricted maintenance areas, and used tools to gain access to the spire.
Custody Status
They were released after arraignment because the charges did not qualify them for pretrial detention under New York law. However, they were placed under supervised release, and a future court appearance was scheduled for August 24, 2026. As of the latest publicly available reporting, no trial or final disposition of the case has yet been reported.
Their Public Response
Their attorney argued that prosecutors overcharged the case and emphasized that: the stunt was intended as a message promoting peace, no one was injured, and the proposal was genuine rather than merely a publicity stunt. The couple themselves continued posting photographs and video from the climb on social media after their release. This wasn’t an isolated incident. Nikolau and Beerkus are internationally known for iscaling some of the world’s tallest structures illegally and without permission, including: Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur, the San Francisco Bay Bridge, numerous skyscrapers throughout Asia and Europe.
Their relationship and climbing exploits were the subject of the 2024 Netflix documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story, which introduced them to a much broader audience. (Pictured at top of the article)
Updates to Follow If There Are Updates Worth Publishing
Click Here For Part 1
Part 2 Monday, July 20, 2026: The Taylor-Swift Travis Kelce Wedding … The Russians Weren’t Coming
{According to The Hollywood Reporter, 1,000 guests and an army of crew members, stylists and support were forced to sign NDAs.}
Angela (Angelina) Nikolau, Ivan “Beerkus” Kuznetsov
Current status (as of July 2026)
Russian urban climbers Angela (Angelina) Nikolau and Ivan “Beerkus” Kuznetsov (who uses the professional name Ivan Beerkus) were arrested by the NYPD after climbing the Empire State Building’s 1,454-foot spire on July 1, 2026. During the climb they: Unfurled a banner reading: “When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace.”
They ecame engaged atop the building. Descended before being taken into custody by NYPD Emergency Service Unit officers.
Criminal Charges
According to court documents and reporting, they were charged with multiple offenses, including:
• Burglary
• Reckless endangerment
• Criminal mischief
• Criminal trespass
• Criminal tampering
• Possession of burglar’s tools
• Disorderly conduct
• Violations of local laws
The allegations center on investigators’ claim that they: purchased admission tickets, hid inside the Empire State Building overnight, entered restricted maintenance areas, and used tools to gain access to the spire.
Custody Status
They were released after arraignment because the charges did not qualify them for pretrial detention under New York law. However, they were placed under supervised release, and a future court appearance was scheduled for August 24, 2026. As of the latest publicly available reporting, no trial or final disposition of the case has yet been reported.
Their Public Response
Their attorney argued that prosecutors overcharged the case and emphasized that: the stunt was intended as a message promoting peace, no one was injured, and the proposal was genuine rather than merely a publicity stunt. The couple themselves continued posting photographs and video from the climb on social media after their release. This wasn’t an isolated incident. Nikolau and Beerkus are internationally known for iscaling some of the world’s tallest structures illegally and without permission, including: Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur, the San Francisco Bay Bridge, numerous skyscrapers throughout Asia and Europe.
Their relationship and climbing exploits were the subject of the 2024 Netflix documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story, which introduced them to a much broader audience. (Pictured at top of the article)
Updates to Follow If There Are Updates Worth Publishing
Click Here For Part 1
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