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 make use of any of the equipment -- as a result of it had been locked remotely.
Over the previous few weeks there's been a growing number of experiences of Russian troops stealing farm equipment, grain and even building materials - beyond widespread looting of residences. However the removing of useful agricultural tools from a John Deere dealership in Melitopol speaks to an more and more organized operation, one that even uses Russian military transport as a part of the heist.CNN has realized that the tools was faraway from an Agrotek dealership in Melitopol, which has been occupied by Russian forces since early March. Altogether it is valued at nearly $5 million. The combine harvesters alone are value $300,000 every.
CNN just isn't naming a contact in Melitopol conversant in the main points of the case for their very own safety.
The contact stated the method began with the seizure of two mix harvesters, a tractor and a seeder. Over the following few weeks, every part else was eliminated: in all 27 pieces of farm machinery. One of the flat-bed vehicles used, and caught on digicam, had a white "Z" painted on it and appeared to be a navy truck.
The contact mentioned there have been rival teams of Russian troops: some would come within the morning and some in the night.
A number of the machinery was taken to a nearby village, but a few of it embarked on an extended overland journey to Chechnya more than 700 miles away. The sophistication of the equipment, that are geared up with GPS, meant that its travel could be tracked. It was last tracked to the village of Zakhan Yurt in Chechnya.
The tools ferried to Chechnya, which included mix harvesters -- can also be managed remotely. "When the invaders drove the stolen harvesters to Chechnya, they realized that they could not even turn them on, as a result of the harvesters were locked remotely," the contact stated.
The tools now seems to be languishing at a farm close to Grozny. However the contact stated that "evidently the hijackers have found consultants in Russia who are making an attempt to bypass the safety."
"Even if they sell harvesters for spare parts, they are going to earn some money," the contact said.
Different sources in the Melitopol area say theft by Russian army units has extended to grain held in silos, in a region that produces a whole bunch of hundreds of tonnes of crops a yr.
One supply instructed CNN that "the occupiers are providing native farmers to share their earnings 50% to 50%." However the farmers making an attempt to work in areas occupied by Russian troops are unable to maneuver their produce.
"Not a single elevator works. Not one 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 source said. "They steal it, take it to Crimea and that is it."
Final week the mayor of Melitopol posted a video exhibiting a convoy of vans leaving Melitopol allegedly loaded with grain.
"We now have clear proof that they unloaded grain from the Melitopol metropolis elevator. They robbed the elevator along with non-public farms," the mayor told CNN.