Russia Ukraine war: Russian climber Katya Lipka summits Everest, unfurls Ukrainian flag

NZ Herald

11 Jun, 2022 11:35 PM2 mins to read

The Russian mountaineer unfurled the Ukrainian flag at the top of Mt Everest. Photo / Instagram/lipka.fm

A Russian mountain climber has made a stand against the war in Ukraine, by unfurling the Ukrainian flag when she reached the top of Mt Everest.

Ekaterina Lipka this week reached the summit of Everest, where she unveiled the Ukrainian flag she had carried all the way up with her.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Сильная независимая женьшень (@lipka.fm)

The mountaineer's photo has gone viral after former Ukrainian Ambassador to Austria Olexander Scherba shared it on Twitter.

Lipka has been praised for her "courageous" photos as she opposed her president's actions in Ukraine.

"Wow! What a message. What a hero," one person wrote on Twitter.

Wow! What a message. What a hero.
— Bernhard Wolf (@bwraigmore) June 5, 2022

"Very courageous lady! Congratulations on making it, literally, to the top of the world... you are an inspiration. Thank you as well, for your support of Ukraine," another Twitter user wrote.

very courageous lady! Congratulations on making it, literally, to the top of the world . . you are an inspiration. Thank you as well, for your support of Ukraine
— Newis Benson (@NewisNewis) June 5, 2022

"May God bless this wonderful Russian women, for scaling Mount Everest and unfurling the Ukrainian flag in protest at the Russian war in Ukraine. Putin needs stopped by whatever means necessary, to prevent mass extermination of Ukrainian's [sic] or the world will suffer," someone else wrote.

May God bless this wonderful Russian women Ekaterina Lipka, for scaling Mount Everest and unfurling the Ukrainianflag in protest at the Russian war in Ukraine. Putin needs stopped by whatever means necessary, to prevent mass extermination of Ukrainian’s or the world will suffer
— Roy Robinson (@topnotch1995) June 6, 2022

The climber also posted a photo of herself on the mountain with a sign that said "Free Navalny", in support of Alexei Navalny, anti-corruption activist and one of Vladimir Putin's enemies.