Russian troops in Melitopol plunder $5M farm autos from Ukraine — to find 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 gear -- because it had been locked remotely.
Over the previous few weeks there's been a rising number of stories of Russian troops stealing farm tools, grain and even building materials - beyond widespread looting of residences. However the removal of useful agricultural tools from a John Deere dealership in Melitopol speaks to an more and more organized operation, one which even uses Russian navy transport as a part of the heist.CNN has realized that the gear 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 isn't naming a contact in Melitopol familiar with the main points of the case for their own safety.
The contact mentioned the method started with the seizure of two combine harvesters, a tractor and a seeder. Over the subsequent few weeks, everything else was removed: in all 27 items of farm machinery. One of the flat-bed trucks used, and caught on digicam, had a white "Z" painted on it and appeared to be a military truck.
The contact stated 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 nearby village, however some of it embarked on a long overland journey to Chechnya more than 700 miles away. The sophistication of the machinery, that are equipped with GPS, meant that its travel could be tracked. It was last tracked to the village of Zakhan Yurt in Chechnya.
The equipment 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 flip them on, as a result of the harvesters have been 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 discovered consultants in Russia who're trying to bypass the safety."
"Even when they sell harvesters for spare elements, they may earn some cash," the contact mentioned.
Other sources in the Melitopol area say theft by Russian navy models has prolonged to grain held in silos, in a region that produces a whole lot of thousands of tonnes of crops a yr.
One source instructed CNN that "the occupiers are offering local farmers to share their earnings 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 anywhere. "
So Russian forces are merely taking the grain, the supply said. "They steal it, take it to Crimea and that is it."
Last week the mayor of Melitopol posted a video exhibiting a convoy of trucks leaving Melitopol allegedly loaded with grain.
"We have now clear proof that they unloaded grain from the Melitopol metropolis elevator. They robbed the elevator along with private farms," the mayor advised CNN.