Russian troops in Melitopol plunder $5M farm automobiles from Ukraine — to search out they’ve been remotely disabled
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However after a journey of more than 700 miles, the thieves had been unable to use any of the equipment -- as a result of it had been locked remotely.
Over the previous few weeks there's been a growing number of experiences of Russian troops stealing farm equipment, grain and even building supplies - beyond widespread looting of residences. But the removal of precious agricultural equipment from a John Deere dealership in Melitopol speaks to an increasingly organized operation, one that even uses Russian military transport as a part of the heist.CNN has learned that the tools was faraway from an Agrotek dealership in Melitopol, which has been occupied by Russian forces since early March. Altogether it is valued at almost $5 million. The mix harvesters alone are worth $300,000 every.
CNN will not be naming a contact in Melitopol acquainted with the main points of the case for their own security.
The contact said the method started with the seizure of two mix harvesters, a tractor and a seeder. Over the following few weeks, every little thing else was eliminated: in all 27 pieces of farm machinery. One of many flat-bed vehicles used, and caught on digicam, had a white "Z" painted on it and seemed to be a army truck.
The contact said there have been rival groups of Russian troops: some would come within the morning and some within the night.
A number of the equipment was taken to a close-by village, but a few of it launched into a protracted overland journey to Chechnya greater than 700 miles away. The sophistication of the machinery, that are geared up with GPS, meant that its journey may very well be tracked. It was last tracked to the village of Zakhan Yurt in Chechnya.
The tools ferried to Chechnya, which included combine harvesters -- can also be managed remotely. "When the invaders drove the stolen harvesters to Chechnya, they realized that they may not even turn them on, because the harvesters had been locked remotely," the contact stated.
The equipment now seems to be languishing at a farm near Grozny. But the contact stated that "it seems that the hijackers have discovered consultants in Russia who're making an attempt to bypass the safety."
"Even if they sell harvesters for spare components, they may earn some cash," the contact said.
Other sources within the Melitopol area say theft by Russian army items has extended to grain held in silos, in a region that produces hundreds of thousands of tonnes of crops a year.
One source told CNN that "the occupiers are offering local farmers to share their profits 50% to 50%." But the farmers trying to work in areas occupied by Russian troops are unable to move their produce.
"Not a single elevator works. None of the ports are working. You will not take this grain from the occupied territory anyplace. "
So Russian forces are merely taking the grain, the source said. "They steal it, take it to Crimea and that's it."
Last week the mayor of Melitopol posted a video displaying a convoy of vans leaving Melitopol allegedly loaded with grain.
"We have clear proof that they unloaded grain from the Melitopol metropolis elevator. They robbed the elevator together with private farms," the mayor informed CNN.