Russian troops in Melitopol plunder $5M farm autos from Ukraine — to find they’ve been remotely disabled
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But after a journey of greater than 700 miles, the thieves were unable to use any of the equipment -- as a result of it had been locked remotely.
Over the previous few weeks there's been a growing variety of stories of Russian troops stealing farm gear, grain and even constructing materials - past widespread looting of residences. However the removal of beneficial agricultural gear from a John Deere dealership in Melitopol speaks to an more and more organized operation, one which even makes use of 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 is valued at practically $5 million. The mix harvesters alone are worth $300,000 each.
CNN shouldn't be naming a contact in Melitopol acquainted with the main points of the case for their own security.
The contact stated the process started with the seizure of two combine harvesters, a tractor and a seeder. Over the following few weeks, every thing else was removed: in all 27 items of farm equipment. One of many flat-bed vans used, and caught on camera, had a white "Z" painted on it and gave the impression to be a military truck.
The contact said there were rival teams of Russian troops: some would come in the morning and a few within the night.
A number of the equipment was taken to a nearby village, however a few of it launched into an extended overland journey to Chechnya more than 700 miles away. The sophistication of the equipment, that are outfitted with GPS, meant that its travel may very well be tracked. It was final tracked to the village of Zakhan Yurt in Chechnya.
The gear ferried to Chechnya, which included mix harvesters -- will 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 had been locked remotely," the contact said.
The gear now appears to be languishing at a farm close to Grozny. But the contact stated that "it appears that evidently the hijackers have discovered consultants in Russia who're making an attempt to bypass the protection."
"Even if they promote harvesters for spare components, they are going to earn some money," the contact mentioned.
Different sources within the Melitopol region say theft by Russian army items has extended to grain held in silos, in a region that produces a whole lot of hundreds of tonnes of crops a 12 months.
One supply instructed CNN that "the occupiers are offering native 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 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 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 showing a convoy of vans leaving Melitopol allegedly loaded with grain.
"We have clear evidence that they unloaded grain from the Melitopol metropolis elevator. They robbed the elevator along with non-public farms," the mayor told CNN.