Last week, a Russian daredevil couple posted on their social media that they had climbed to the top of the Merdeka 118 tower undetected. Netizens were sceptical of the post as many believed the photos were photoshopped. It wasn’t until much later that both Ivan Beerkus and Angela Nikolau posted more evidence that their dangerous act – proving that it was in fact real.
Ever since the posts went viral, regardless of their authenticity, netizens have been wondering how exactly they managed to climb up the tower without being noticed by security or even construction workers as the building was still in development. All questions have now been answered after Angela tweeted her side of the story.
Extreme content creator Angela Nikolau posted on her Twitter to tell the story in full detail of how she climbed up the iconic Merdeka 118 tower alone. “I fell in love with the Merdeka 118 Tower the moment I saw it. I felt an instant spiritual connection. Such a majestic building in the middle of an amazing city – I had to discover and share the views with others,” she tweeted.
According to the influencer, she first did research and surveillance of the skyscraper by renting a nearby apartment. She spent several weeks observing the building to know more details before she stepped foot in there. Then came the day for the ascend. The daredevil climber apparently disguised herself as a construction worker by putting on a hijab and work uniform to fool security. After going up 32 floors on foot, the Russian woman stripped and lay down naked to cool herself as she was overheated.
Angela took shelter in a small concrete box to avoid being detected and spent the next 20 hours hiding. With insufficient food and water, she felt exhausted and weak but managed to push through and used her remaining strength to finish her mission. The content creator took the opportunity to climb up while the workers were on break. After climbing 53 floors of the spire, she was met with a breathtaking view of the city from on top of Merdeka 118.
“The climb was the hardest one of my life and I’m not sure I’d be able to do it again. But the beauty I saw and could capture and share with you is incredible,” she tweeted. The Russian woman did not specify exactly when she climbed Merdeka 118 but judging by the Twitter thread, we can assume that both Angela and Ivan climbed the tower separately first before doing it together on a later day.
The thread was met with backlash by Malaysians who slammed the couple for getting away with doing crime and disrespecting the laws of the country. According to several news reports, the Russian couple is still under investigation for trespassing on private property. However, there are currently no updates on their whereabouts.
