Russian troops in Melitopol plunder $5M farm autos from Ukraine — to seek out they’ve been remotely disabled
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But after a journey of more than 700 miles, the thieves have been 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 growing number of stories of Russian troops stealing farm gear, grain and even building supplies - past widespread looting of residences. However the removing of worthwhile agricultural gear from a John Deere dealership in Melitopol speaks to an increasingly organized operation, one that even uses Russian military transport as part of the heist.CNN has discovered that the equipment was faraway 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 combine harvesters alone are price $300,000 each.
CNN shouldn't be naming a contact in Melitopol conversant in the small print of the case for their own safety.
The contact mentioned the process started with the seizure of two mix harvesters, a tractor and a seeder. Over the next few weeks, every thing else was removed: in all 27 items of farm equipment. One of the flat-bed vans used, and caught on camera, had a white "Z" painted on it and seemed to be a army truck.
The contact stated there were rival groups of Russian troops: some would come within the morning and some within the night.
A number of the machinery was taken to a close-by village, however a few of it launched into an extended overland journey to Chechnya greater than 700 miles away. The sophistication of the equipment, which are geared up with GPS, meant that its travel might be tracked. It was last tracked to the village of Zakhan Yurt in Chechnya.
The gear ferried to Chechnya, which included mix harvesters -- can be controlled remotely. "When the invaders drove the stolen harvesters to Chechnya, they realized that they could not even flip them on, as a result of the harvesters were locked remotely," the contact stated.
The tools now seems to be languishing at a farm near Grozny. But the contact said that "evidently the hijackers have found consultants in Russia who're making an attempt to bypass the protection."
"Even if they promote harvesters for spare parts, they'll earn some cash," the contact mentioned.
Other sources within the Melitopol area say theft by Russian military models has prolonged to grain held in silos, in a region that produces hundreds of hundreds of tonnes of crops a yr.
One supply informed CNN that "the occupiers are offering local 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. 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's it."
Last week the mayor of Melitopol posted a video showing a convoy of vehicles leaving Melitopol allegedly loaded with grain.
"We have clear proof that they unloaded grain from the Melitopol city elevator. They robbed the elevator together with non-public farms," the mayor informed CNN.