Russian troops in Melitopol plunder $5M farm vehicles from Ukraine — to find they’ve been remotely disabled
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However after a journey of more than 700 miles, the thieves have been unable to use any of the tools -- because it had been locked remotely.
Over the previous few weeks there's been a rising number of studies of Russian troops stealing farm equipment, grain and even building supplies - past widespread looting of residences. However the removal of priceless agricultural equipment from a John Deere dealership in Melitopol speaks to an increasingly organized operation, one which even uses Russian navy transport as a part of the heist.CNN has realized 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 practically $5 million. The combine harvesters alone are value $300,000 every.
CNN just isn't naming a contact in Melitopol familiar with the details of the case for their own security.
The contact mentioned the method began with the seizure of two combine harvesters, a tractor and a seeder. Over the following few weeks, all the things else was eliminated: in all 27 pieces of farm machinery. One of the flat-bed trucks used, and caught on digital camera, had a white "Z" painted on it and appeared to be a military truck.
The contact mentioned there have been rival groups of Russian troops: some would come within the morning and a few within the night.
Some of the equipment was taken to a nearby village, but some of it embarked on a long overland journey to Chechnya greater than 700 miles away. The sophistication of the machinery, which are equipped with GPS, meant that its journey could be tracked. It was last tracked to the village of Zakhan Yurt in Chechnya.
The gear ferried to Chechnya, which included mix harvesters -- will also be controlled remotely. "When the invaders drove the stolen harvesters to Chechnya, they realized that they might not even flip them on, as a result of the harvesters have been locked remotely," the contact stated.
The tools now seems to be languishing at a farm close to Grozny. However the contact said that "it appears that evidently the hijackers have found consultants in Russia who're trying to bypass the protection."
"Even when they sell harvesters for spare components, they will earn some cash," the contact said.
Other sources in the Melitopol area say theft by Russian army items has prolonged to grain held in silos, in a area that produces tons of of hundreds of tonnes of crops a year.
One supply advised CNN that "the occupiers are offering local farmers to share their profits 50% to 50%." However 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 wherever. "
So Russian forces are merely taking the grain, the supply stated. "They steal it, take it to Crimea and that is it."
Last week the mayor of Melitopol posted a video exhibiting a convoy of vans leaving Melitopol allegedly loaded with grain.
"We've got clear evidence that they unloaded grain from the Melitopol metropolis elevator. They robbed the elevator together with personal farms," the mayor advised CNN.