Russian troops in Melitopol plunder $5M farm automobiles from Ukraine — to find they have been remotely disabled
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But after a journey of more than 700 miles, the thieves had been unable to use any of the gear -- as a result of it had been locked remotely.
Over the previous few weeks there's been a rising variety of stories of Russian troops stealing farm gear, grain and even building supplies - beyond widespread looting of residences. But the removing of helpful agricultural gear from a John Deere dealership in Melitopol speaks to an increasingly organized operation, one which even uses Russian army transport as part of the heist.CNN has learned that the gear 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 shouldn't be naming a contact in Melitopol conversant in the details of the case for their own safety.
The contact said the process began with the seizure of two combine harvesters, a tractor and a seeder. Over the next few weeks, the whole lot else was removed: in all 27 items of farm equipment. One of many flat-bed vehicles used, and caught on camera, had a white "Z" painted on it and appeared to be a army truck.
The contact said there have been rival teams of Russian troops: some would come within the morning and a few within the night.
A number of the equipment was taken to a nearby village, but some of it embarked on a long overland journey to Chechnya more than 700 miles away. The sophistication of the machinery, that are outfitted with GPS, meant that its journey may very well be tracked. It was final tracked to the village of Zakhan Yurt in Chechnya.
The tools ferried to Chechnya, which included combine harvesters -- may also be controlled 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 mentioned.
The tools now seems to be languishing at a farm close to Grozny. But the contact said that "plainly the hijackers have found consultants in Russia who are attempting to bypass the safety."
"Even if they sell harvesters for spare parts, they will earn some cash," the contact mentioned.
Different sources within the Melitopol region say theft by Russian army models has extended to grain held in silos, in a area that produces a whole bunch of hundreds of tonnes of crops a 12 months.
One supply told CNN that "the occupiers are offering local farmers to share their earnings 50% to 50%." However the farmers trying to work in areas occupied by Russian troops are unable to maneuver their produce.
"Not a single elevator works. None of the ports are working. You will not take this grain from the occupied territory anywhere. "
So Russian forces are simply taking the grain, the source mentioned. "They steal it, take it to Crimea and that's it."
Final week the mayor of Melitopol posted a video showing a convoy of vehicles leaving Melitopol allegedly loaded with grain.
"We now have clear evidence that they unloaded grain from the Melitopol city elevator. They robbed the elevator together with personal farms," the mayor told CNN.