Russian troops in Melitopol plunder $5M farm automobiles from Ukraine — to seek out they have been remotely disabled
Warning: Undefined variable $post_id in /home/webpages/lima-city/booktips/wordpress_de-2022-03-17-33f52d/wp-content/themes/fast-press/single.php on line 26
But after a journey of greater than 700 miles, the thieves have been unable to make use of any of the gear -- because it had been locked remotely.
Over the previous few weeks there's been a rising variety of reports of Russian troops stealing farm tools, grain and even building supplies - past widespread looting of residences. But the removing of helpful agricultural tools from a John Deere dealership in Melitopol speaks to an increasingly organized operation, one which even makes use of Russian military transport as 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 value $300,000 every.
CNN shouldn't be naming a contact in Melitopol acquainted with the main points of the case for their very own safety.
The contact said the process began with the seizure of two mix harvesters, a tractor and a seeder. Over the subsequent few weeks, every part else was removed: in all 27 items of farm machinery. One of many flat-bed vans used, and caught on camera, had a white "Z" painted on it and appeared to be a army truck.
The contact stated there were rival teams of Russian troops: some would come in the morning and a few in the evening.
A few of the equipment was taken to a close-by village, however some of it launched into a protracted overland journey to Chechnya greater than 700 miles away. The sophistication of the equipment, that are equipped with GPS, meant that its journey could possibly be tracked. It was final tracked to the village of Zakhan Yurt in Chechnya.
The tools ferried to Chechnya, which included combine harvesters -- can also be controlled remotely. "When the invaders drove the stolen harvesters to Chechnya, they realized that they may not even turn them on, as a result of the harvesters were locked remotely," the contact mentioned.
The tools 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 are trying to bypass the protection."
"Even if they sell harvesters for spare elements, they will earn some money," the contact mentioned.
Different sources within the Melitopol region say theft by Russian army units has extended to grain held in silos, in a region that produces a whole bunch of 1000's of tonnes of crops a yr.
One supply told CNN that "the occupiers are offering local farmers to share their profits 50% to 50%." But 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 will not take this grain from the occupied territory anyplace. "
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 have clear evidence that they unloaded grain from the Melitopol city elevator. They robbed the elevator together with non-public farms," the mayor instructed CNN.