Russian troops in Melitopol plunder $5M farm automobiles from Ukraine — to search out they’ve been remotely disabled
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But after a journey of more than 700 miles, the thieves were unable to make use of any of the tools -- as a result of it had been locked remotely.
Over the past few weeks there's been a rising number of reports of Russian troops stealing farm gear, grain and even building supplies - beyond widespread looting of residences. But the removal of helpful 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 a part of the heist.CNN has discovered that the gear 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 isn't naming a contact in Melitopol conversant in the details of the case for their very own safety.
The contact said the method started with the seizure of two mix harvesters, a tractor and a seeder. Over the subsequent few weeks, all the things else was eliminated: in all 27 items of farm equipment. One of many flat-bed trucks used, and caught on digital camera, had a white "Z" painted on it and seemed to be a army truck.
The contact stated there were rival teams of Russian troops: some would come in the morning and a few within the night.
Some of the machinery was taken to a close-by village, but some of it launched into a protracted overland journey to Chechnya greater than 700 miles away. The sophistication of the machinery, which are outfitted with GPS, meant that its journey might be tracked. It was final tracked to the village of Zakhan Yurt in Chechnya.
The equipment ferried to Chechnya, which included mix harvesters -- can be managed 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 were locked remotely," the contact stated.
The equipment now seems to be languishing at a farm close to Grozny. However the contact mentioned that "evidently the hijackers have found consultants in Russia who are attempting to bypass the safety."
"Even if they promote harvesters for spare elements, they may earn some money," the contact mentioned.
Different sources in the Melitopol area say theft by Russian army items has extended to grain held in silos, in a area that produces lots of of thousands of tonnes of crops a 12 months.
One source told CNN that "the occupiers are offering native farmers to share their profits 50% to 50%." However the farmers attempting 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 anyplace. "
So Russian forces are simply taking the grain, the source 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 trucks leaving Melitopol allegedly loaded with grain.
"We've clear evidence that they unloaded grain from the Melitopol metropolis elevator. They robbed the elevator along with personal farms," the mayor told CNN.