Lipka had posted a photo of herself flagging the Ukrainian flag on top of Everest. In another post, she is holding a banner of Free Navalny at the Everest top wishing a happy birthday to Alexei Navalny who is the Russian opposition leader and an anti-corruption activitist. Navalny has been jailed since early 2021 in Russia on several charges including large scale fraud and court contempt, and have been enlisted as “terrorist and extremist”.
Nepal denies summit certificate to Russian climber over “Ukrainian flag” and “Free Navalny Flag”
Nepal has denied Everest Summit Certificate to Russian climber, Katya Lipka, due to unauthorized activities on top of Mount Everest. Two major issues including flagging Ukraine flag and “Free Navalny” flag. She is the one Russian out of 16 Russian climbers who successfully climbed Mount Everest but denied summit certificate.
What Nepal Rules say?
Tourism Industry Service Delivery Directive 2012 says that mountaineers are required to inform the Liaison Officer about all the items they are going to use while climbing mountain, including any souvenir or token they want to take to the summit in the presence of representatives of the expedition agency and other expedition team members.
Climbers should obtain prior permissions for any extra activities on the summit of the world highest peak. They also said that Lipka did not inform authorities about her intention to display those flags.
As per expedition rules, one has to inform the tourism department about desired activities
before heading to the base camp. People take photos at Everest top as proof of summit. Most take photos of themselves holding the flags of their countries. The summit photo is one of the proof for tourism and expedition officials to verify the claim of the climbers. Officials said unfurling flags from Everest top is not prohibited but authorities should be made aware about what type or size of flags are being taken to the top.
What are punishments?
The Department of Tourism has sought clarification from her, Liaison
Officer and her expedition agency. The Department has also recommended the tourism ministry to ban her from climbing Nepal’s mountains for three years. The proposal is under consideration at the ministry.
