Eduard Kubatov Conquers K2 Without Oxygen

Eduard Kubatov, head of Kyrgyzstan’s Mountaineering Federation, has summited K2 (8,611 m) in Pakistan — the world’s second-highest and most notoriously difficult peak — without supplemental oxygen.

The ascent came on August 11 as part of a joint Seven Summit Treks and 14 Peaks Expedition team. Kubatov climbed alongside two Chinese mountaineers and a Turkish teammate under a Nepal-based operation. The Russian 7 Summits Club congratulated him, calling it “the summit of his dreams.”

K2’s brutal reputation is well earned: sheer slopes, avalanche danger, and volatile weather make it deadlier and more technically demanding than Everest. This season’s conditions were especially harsh, with many expeditions retreating before a summit push. “Only the strongest and most persistent remained, and fortune smiled upon them,” 7 Summits Club noted.

Kubatov’s resume matches the achievement. In May 2024, he topped both Lhotse and Makalu — each above 8,000 meters — without oxygen. In 2021, he became only the second Kyrgyz to summit Everest, following Dmitry Grekov’s 1997 success.

Now, with K2 added to his list, Kubatov has cemented his place among the elite of high-altitude mountaineering.