They climbed in the toughest conditions, endured hurricanes and freezing cold and launched one push after another as soon as conditions minimally improved. Even before setting foot in Pakistan, they had to overcome financial shortfalls that would have sunk most expeditions. Overall, the men in the Russian-Kazakh-Kyrgyz team fought like true winter warriors. Yet despite everything, unrelenting bad weather finally forced team leader Vassily Pivtsov to call for a definitive retreat yesterday. A support group has headed towards ABC to meet them today. Later, they will climb up to dismantle the intermediate camps, according to RussianClimb.