Russian troops in Melitopol plunder $5M farm automobiles from Ukraine — to seek out they have been remotely disabled
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But after a journey of more than 700 miles, the thieves had been unable to make use of any of the gear -- because it had been locked remotely.
Over the past few weeks there's been a growing variety of reviews of Russian troops stealing farm equipment, grain and even constructing materials - past widespread looting of residences. However the elimination of invaluable agricultural gear from a John Deere dealership in Melitopol speaks to an more and more organized operation, one that even uses Russian army transport as part of the heist.CNN has discovered that the tools was removed from an Agrotek dealership in Melitopol, which has been occupied by Russian forces since early March. Altogether it's valued at nearly $5 million. The mix harvesters alone are worth $300,000 each.
CNN is not naming a contact in Melitopol conversant in the details of the case for their very own safety.
The contact said the process started with the seizure of two mix harvesters, a tractor and a seeder. Over the following few weeks, everything else was removed: in all 27 pieces of farm equipment. One of the flat-bed vans used, and caught on digital camera, had a white "Z" painted on it and gave the impression to be a military truck.
The contact mentioned there have been rival groups of Russian troops: some would come within the morning and some in the evening.
A number of the machinery was taken to a nearby village, but a few of it embarked on a long overland journey to Chechnya more than 700 miles away. The sophistication of the equipment, that are outfitted with GPS, meant that its journey could be tracked. It was final tracked to the village of Zakhan Yurt in Chechnya.
The tools ferried to Chechnya, which included mix harvesters -- can also be controlled remotely. "When the invaders drove the stolen harvesters to Chechnya, they realized that they could not even turn them on, because the harvesters have been locked remotely," the contact stated.
The gear now appears to be languishing at a farm near Grozny. But the contact mentioned that "it appears that evidently the hijackers have discovered consultants in Russia who're making an attempt to bypass the safety."
"Even if they sell harvesters for spare components, they may earn some cash," the contact said.
Different sources in the Melitopol region say theft by Russian military models has extended to grain held in silos, in a area that produces a whole bunch of thousands of tonnes of crops a 12 months.
One supply informed CNN that "the occupiers are offering native farmers to share their income 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. Not one of the ports are working. You'll not take this grain from the occupied territory anyplace. "
So Russian forces are merely taking the grain, the source mentioned. "They steal it, take it to Crimea and that is it."
Final week the mayor of Melitopol posted a video displaying a convoy of vans leaving Melitopol allegedly loaded with grain.
"We have now clear evidence that they unloaded grain from the Melitopol city elevator. They robbed the elevator along with personal farms," the mayor instructed CNN.