Russian troops in Melitopol plunder $5M farm vehicles from Ukraine — to find 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 more than 700 miles, the thieves were unable to make use of any of the equipment -- because it had been locked remotely.
Over the past few weeks there's been a growing number of reviews of Russian troops stealing farm tools, grain and even building supplies - beyond widespread looting of residences. But the elimination of priceless agricultural gear from a John Deere dealership in Melitopol speaks to an increasingly organized operation, one that even makes use of Russian navy transport as part of the heist.CNN has discovered that the gear was faraway 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 combine harvesters alone are worth $300,000 each.
CNN shouldn't be naming a contact in Melitopol conversant in the details of the case for their very 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 pieces of farm equipment. One of the flat-bed vehicles used, and caught on digicam, had a white "Z" painted on it and appeared to be a navy truck.
The contact mentioned there have been rival teams of Russian troops: some would come in the morning and some within the evening.
A number of the equipment was taken to a close-by village, but a few of it embarked on an extended overland journey to Chechnya more than 700 miles away. The sophistication of the machinery, which are outfitted with GPS, meant that its journey could be tracked. It was last 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 might 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. However the contact mentioned that "it seems that the hijackers have found consultants in Russia who're trying to bypass the protection."
"Even if they sell harvesters for spare elements, they'll earn some money," the contact stated.
Different sources within the Melitopol area say theft by Russian navy items has extended to grain held in silos, in a area that produces a whole bunch of thousands of tonnes of crops a 12 months.
One supply advised CNN that "the occupiers are providing native farmers to share their profits 50% to 50%." However the farmers attempting 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 anywhere. "
So Russian forces are simply taking the grain, the source said. "They steal it, take it to Crimea and that's it."
Last week the mayor of Melitopol posted a video displaying a convoy of vans leaving Melitopol allegedly loaded with grain.
"We have now clear proof that they unloaded grain from the Melitopol city elevator. They robbed the elevator along with non-public farms," the mayor told CNN.