Agasi Vartanyan of Shlisselburg, a town on the Neva River near St. Petersburg, emerged Monday from the elevated, glass-encased box where he had been since Aug. 27, St. Petersburg's Channel Five television station reported on its web site.
Vartanyan was met outside the enclosure by relatives and medical personnel.
For 50 days, Vartanyan lived on nothing but water and cigarettes, losing some 50 kilograms and celebrating his 47th birthday in the process.
After losing his job as a construction worker, Vartanyan realized that he would be going hungry for a while anyway, so he decided to make the best of a bad situation by breaking the record for fasting, which stood at 49 days.
Vartanyan built the elevated structure himself and stocked it with 150 liters of drinking water, 50 packs of cigarettes, an electric heater, bedding, changes of clothing and an icon.
The large box, which is situated near a statue of Peter the Great, quickly became a local attraction.
Vartanyan also solicited money during his fast and promised to donate half of all proceeds to a local veterans' organization.
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