Ruslan and Nika met through mutual connections. Nika's mom knew a woman who knew a woman who knew Ruslan. The women, Sveta and Zhanna, were the links that brought Nika and Ruslan together. Their first phone conversation was full of laughter, followed by a date that included tacos, an escape room, and karaoke. It was not long after that Ruslan and Nika became inseparable.