Azernews.Az

by Alimat Aliyeva

The Russian climbers who scaled the Empire State Building in New York are facing three criminal charges and one administrative violation, with a possible combined sentence of more than 20 years in prison, AzerNEWS reports.

According to reports, the individuals were charged with several criminal offenses, including first-degree reckless endangerment, which carries a maximum penalty of up to seven years in prison, second-degree criminal damage to property (up to seven years), and third-degree burglary (up to seven years).

They also received an administrative charge for illegally entering a restricted rooftop area. This violation can result in an additional penalty of up to one year in prison.

On July 1, New York police arrested two people who climbed the spire of the Empire State Building in Manhattan. A man and a woman wearing masks reportedly reached part of the skyscraper and displayed a banner that read: “When the power of love conquers the love of power, the world will know peace.”

The climbers were identified by some reports as Russian urban explorers Ivan Birkus (whose real name is reportedly Kuznetsov) and Angelina Nikolaou, known online for dangerous rooftop climbs and extreme photography.

The Empire State Building is one of New York’s most recognizable landmarks. The 102-story skyscraper was completed in 1931 and remained the tallest building in the world for more than four decades. Including its antenna, the building reaches a height of 443 meters (1,454 feet). In 1986, it was officially designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark.

The incident has once again highlighted the dangers of illegal urban climbing, a trend known as “rooftopping.” While some climbers gain millions of views online by photographing themselves on skyscrapers, experts warn that such stunts can put both the climbers and emergency responders at serious risk.