Russian troops in Melitopol plunder $5M farm vehicles 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 -- as a result of it had been locked remotely.
Over the previous few weeks there's been a growing number of reviews of Russian troops stealing farm equipment, grain and even constructing materials - beyond widespread looting of residences. However the elimination of priceless agricultural tools from a John Deere dealership in Melitopol speaks to an increasingly organized operation, one that even makes use of Russian army transport as part of the heist.CNN has learned that the equipment 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 worth $300,000 each.
CNN is not naming a contact in Melitopol conversant in the details of the case for their very own security.
The contact said the process started with the seizure of two combine harvesters, a tractor and a seeder. Over the next few weeks, the whole lot else was removed: in all 27 items of farm machinery. One of the flat-bed vans used, and caught on digicam, had a white "Z" painted on it and appeared to be a army truck.
The contact mentioned there have been rival groups of Russian troops: some would come within the morning and a few in the evening.
A number of the machinery was taken to a close-by village, but a few of it launched into a long overland journey to Chechnya greater than 700 miles away. The sophistication of the equipment, which are equipped with GPS, meant that its travel might be tracked. It was final tracked to the village of Zakhan Yurt in Chechnya.
The gear ferried to Chechnya, which included combine harvesters -- can be managed remotely. "When the invaders drove the stolen harvesters to Chechnya, they realized that they could not even flip them on, because the harvesters have been locked remotely," the contact mentioned.
The gear now seems to be languishing at a farm close to Grozny. But the contact stated that "evidently the hijackers have discovered consultants in Russia who're attempting to bypass the protection."
"Even if they sell harvesters for spare elements, they will earn some cash," the contact said.
Other sources in the Melitopol area say theft by Russian navy models has extended to grain held in silos, in a area that produces a whole lot of hundreds of tonnes of crops a 12 months.
One source advised CNN that "the occupiers are providing native farmers to share their income 50% to 50%." However the farmers trying to work in areas occupied by Russian troops are unable to maneuver 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 mentioned. "They steal it, take it to Crimea and that is it."
Last week the mayor of Melitopol posted a video displaying a convoy of trucks leaving Melitopol allegedly loaded with grain.
"We have clear proof that they unloaded grain from the Melitopol metropolis elevator. They robbed the elevator together with non-public farms," the mayor advised CNN.