Russian troops in Melitopol plunder $5M farm automobiles from Ukraine — to find they’ve been remotely disabled
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However after a journey of greater than 700 miles, the thieves had been unable to use any of the tools -- as a result of it had been locked remotely.
Over the previous few weeks there's been a growing variety of reviews of Russian troops stealing farm tools, grain and even building supplies - beyond widespread looting of residences. However the removing of useful agricultural equipment from a John Deere dealership in Melitopol speaks to an increasingly organized operation, one that even makes use of Russian navy transport as part of the heist.CNN has realized that the equipment was faraway from an Agrotek dealership in Melitopol, which has been occupied by Russian forces since early March. Altogether it's valued at almost $5 million. The mix harvesters alone are value $300,000 every.
CNN shouldn't be naming a contact in Melitopol familiar with the small print of the case for their very own security.
The contact said the method began with the seizure of two combine harvesters, a tractor and a seeder. Over the next few weeks, all the things else was removed: in all 27 items of farm equipment. One of the flat-bed trucks used, and caught on camera, had a white "Z" painted on it and seemed to be a navy truck.
The contact said there were rival teams of Russian troops: some would come within the morning and a few within the evening.
Some of the machinery was taken to a close-by village, however a few of it embarked on a long overland journey to Chechnya more than 700 miles away. The sophistication of the equipment, that are geared up with GPS, meant that its journey might be tracked. It was last tracked to the village of Zakhan Yurt in Chechnya.
The tools ferried to Chechnya, which included mix harvesters -- may also be managed remotely. "When the invaders drove the stolen harvesters to Chechnya, they realized that they could not even flip them on, because the harvesters were locked remotely," the contact mentioned.
The equipment now seems to be languishing at a farm near Grozny. But the contact mentioned that "evidently the hijackers have found consultants in Russia who're attempting to bypass the safety."
"Even when they sell harvesters for spare parts, they are going to earn some cash," the contact said.
Other sources in the Melitopol region say theft by Russian army units has extended to grain held in silos, in a area that produces tons of of hundreds of tonnes of crops a yr.
One supply informed CNN that "the occupiers are providing local farmers to share their profits 50% to 50%." But the farmers attempting to work in areas occupied by Russian troops are unable to move their produce.
"Not a single elevator works. Not one of the ports are working. You'll not take this grain from the occupied territory anyplace. "
So Russian forces are simply taking the grain, the supply said. "They steal it, take it to Crimea and that's it."
Last week the mayor of Melitopol posted a video showing a convoy of vehicles leaving Melitopol allegedly loaded with grain.
"We've clear proof that they unloaded grain from the Melitopol city elevator. They robbed the elevator along with non-public farms," the mayor informed CNN.