A couple who chained themselves together on Valentine’s Day to test their love finally had their clasp cut today – and immediately broke up.
Viktoria ‘Vika’ Pustovitova, 29, and Alexander ‘Sasha’ Kudlay, 33, from Kharkiv in Ukraine, were bound together for 123 days.
But as the chain was severed by giant cutters in Kiev, they couldn’t wait to go their separate ways.
‘I want to live my own independent life, and grow as an independent person,’ announced Vika .
She shouted ‘Hurray’ as they were freed from each other.
‘I am finally free,’ she said.
The couple parted when their heavy-duty chain was cut at the same Unity monument in Kiev where they had been locked together
Viktoria ‘Vika’ Pustovitova, 29, and Alexander ‘Sasha’ Kudlay, 33, from Kharkiv in Ukraine, were bound together for 123 days
The pair admitted that being so close with no space or privacy in the end cost them their relationship and their wedding plans (pictured in happier times)
The couple parted when their heavy-duty chain was cut at the same Unity monument in Kiev where they had been locked together.
Her now ex commented after the chain was cut: ‘Thank you all for supporting us.
‘Look, we are now at a distance from each other.
‘We were happy, and we are now happy to have had this experience in our lives.’
They were ‘proud’ of setting a record in Ukraine, they said.
The pair admitted that being so close with no space or privacy in the end cost them their relationship and their wedding plans.
The writing has been on the wall.
In their joint social media, he posted as they came to the end of their up-close-and-personal experiment: ‘Difficulties are snowballing.
‘As soon as we find one plus in a situation, immediately there are two minuses.
‘Vika wants to get back to the rhythm of her earlier life, she misses what she used to love to do.
‘She doesn’t respond well to my suggestions to keep doing what she likes to do alongside me.’
He admitted he was fed up with being alongside her as she did her makeup.
‘We are trying really hard not to escalate conflicts,’ he said.
‘I struggle with hearing noise when I cook, or on the phone.
The couple chained together (left) and Alexander helping his girlfriend to get ready in the mirror
And there has been pain of togetherness caused by burns from the chain on their wrist (left) and another problem has been using public toilets when she takes him into the ‘Ladies’ which has not always gone down well
The former couple after they were cut free during a ceremony in Kiev
Alexander poses with his record after the couple spent 126 days shackled together
‘And I don’t like to spend so much time by the mirror every morning.’
There was a four hour argument and he posted: ‘Our resources are running dry.
‘We need to relax in a big crowd, to let go of each other. We need to reboot.
‘When we go shopping, we start fresh and happy, and finish up like squeezed lemons.’
Now they will live in separate regions of Ukraine , starting immediately.
A month ago, Vika saw the writing on the wall, saying: ‘We are a bit fed up with each other. It is complicated for me… I was nervous, am nervous and, probably, will continue to be nervous.
‘Yes, I had flashes where I wanted to remove the chain, and jerked it. But then time passed, I calmed down.’
They had planned to wed but now this is cancelled.
Akexander was even able to get behind the wheel of a car despite his girlfriend being chained to his right hand, though it appears he drives an automatic which will have helped make this easier
Alexander has managed to work selling cars and car parts, with Viktoria accompanying him
They also hoped to make a fortune from their stunt but it is not yet clear how much money they have made.
Alexander has managed to work selling cars and car parts, with Viktoria accompanying him.
But she had to give up her work making artificial eyelashes because her clients did not want her boyfriend close by as she did it.
One problem has been using public toilets when she takes him into the ‘Ladies’ which has not always gone down well.
And there has been pain of togetherness caused by burns from the chain on their wrist.
The unchaining was supervised by Ukrainian records chief Vitaly Zorin.
He said: ‘Since this is Vika’s first free evening, I’m going to introduce myself to her.’
