Russian troops in Melitopol plunder $5M farm autos from Ukraine — to search out they’ve been remotely disabled
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However after a journey of greater than 700 miles, the thieves were unable to make use of any of the equipment -- because 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 more and more organized operation, one that even makes use of Russian army transport as part of the heist.CNN has realized that the equipment was removed 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 price $300,000 every.
CNN shouldn't be naming a contact in Melitopol accustomed to the details of the case for their very own security.
The contact stated the process began with the seizure of two mix harvesters, a tractor and a seeder. Over the next few weeks, everything else was eliminated: in all 27 pieces of farm machinery. One of many flat-bed vans 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 groups of Russian troops: some would come in the morning and a few in the night.
Among the machinery was taken to a close-by village, but some of it embarked on an extended overland journey to Chechnya more than 700 miles away. The sophistication of the equipment, that are outfitted with GPS, meant that its journey could possibly be tracked. It was final tracked to the village of Zakhan Yurt in Chechnya.
The gear ferried to Chechnya, which included combine harvesters -- will also be managed remotely. "When the invaders drove the stolen harvesters to Chechnya, they realized that they might not even turn them on, because the harvesters have been locked remotely," the contact mentioned.
The gear now appears to be languishing at a farm close to Grozny. However the contact said that "evidently the hijackers have discovered consultants in Russia who're attempting to bypass the safety."
"Even if they promote harvesters for spare components, they may earn some cash," the contact said.
Other sources within the Melitopol area say theft by Russian army models has extended to grain held in silos, in a area that produces lots of of hundreds of tonnes of crops a yr.
One supply advised CNN that "the occupiers are offering local farmers to share their earnings 50% to 50%." However 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 will not take this grain from the occupied territory anyplace. "
So Russian forces are simply taking the grain, the supply stated. "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 evidence that they unloaded grain from the Melitopol metropolis elevator. They robbed the elevator along with non-public farms," the mayor told CNN.