It all happened because there was a threat that Krivonischenko captured in the last shot of his camera, and from which he and Doroshenko were hiding on a cedar tree. The threat from the tent continued up the slope to the cedar, but there was no escape from it. It left a trail of destruction on the slope and by the cedar.
It is beyond belief that two persons would climb up a tree to hide from a perceived threat, then proceed to brake off branches and form a 5-meter-high window facing the direction of said threat. This is the most extreme case of
hiding in plain sight that I have ever heard of. But you raise a valid concern about leaving without shoes.
I've thought of Rustem with one shoe and isn't it possible he lost the other to deep snow? Either by the snow pulling it off or maybe he used it as a shovel. Unless they accounted for the other shoe being in the tent? And I find it odd as well that this theory calls for a tent being cut up over Zolo yelling for help.
Also a valid point. In my version of events the hikers would have heard shouting from outside long before they could make out words. They are practically blind to what is happening outside, they have no idea what is going on, only urgent shouting. They must realize that their friends are in danger. And the person by the door is fumbling with the buttons, out of the 7 people present in the tent, it only takes one to think the delay is unacceptable and slash the tent.
They had the means and ability to repair the tent, they had already mended the tent a couple of times on this trip alone. What is a piece of fabric that can be mended when your friends are shouting for help?
If I were forced to name someone, I'd say Doroshenko. He had on a previous occasion confronted a bear, armed with nothing more than a hammer.
Now holding a knife, hearing the shouts from outside, and the person at the entrance taking too long. All he would want to do is get outside as soon as possible, and it only takes one person to think like that.
Similarly, the fact that the hikers left without shoes, or with only one shoe.. That is why in my version it is important to stress that they were not abandoning the tent. The intention was to help return Tibo to the tent. In my opinion it is harder to imagine a scenario in which the hikers are abandoning the tent but leave without jackets and shoes. It is hard to imagine them abandoning the tent without taking any of the items they would need to survive. In my scenario, because they intent to return, because it's not that cold (warm wind) then temporarily leaving the tent, perhaps a little underdressed, seems more plausible. What's some temporary, personal discomfort when weighed against the fact that a friend is in serious need of help?