Urban exploring and the associated life-threatening risks have become a source of inspiration for many Russian and Ukrainian youths in finding their identity. Without any safety measures, they climb to dizzying heights on towers, cranes and bridges, or explore underground tunnels. By confronting their fears and infusing their daily lives with excitement, Angela and Vlad gain the feeling that they are in control of their own lives. They travel and get to know the world from a new vantage point, but reality in the conflict-ridden post-Soviet era doesn’t disappear even if you’re 100m above the city.

Most urban exploring enthusiasts come from Russia and Ukraine, and the Internet is flooded with video-clips of their breath-taking adventures. In one of the most popular urban exploring videos, Vitaly Raskalov and Vadim Makhorov climb the 650m high Shanghai Tower. Their YouTube clip has been viewed 63 million times.