Russian troops in Melitopol plunder $5M farm autos from Ukraine — to search out they’ve been remotely disabled
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However after a journey of more than 700 miles, the thieves had been unable to use any of the gear -- because it had been locked remotely.
Over the past few weeks there's been a rising variety of reviews of Russian troops stealing farm tools, grain and even building materials - past widespread looting of residences. However the removing of valuable agricultural gear from a John Deere dealership in Melitopol speaks to an increasingly organized operation, one that even uses Russian navy transport as a 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 nearly $5 million. The combine harvesters alone are price $300,000 each.
CNN shouldn't be naming a contact in Melitopol conversant in the main points of the case for their own security.
The contact mentioned the method started with the seizure of two combine harvesters, a tractor and a seeder. Over the next few weeks, the whole lot else was removed: in all 27 items of farm machinery. One of the flat-bed trucks used, and caught on digital camera, had a white "Z" painted on it and appeared to be a military truck.
The contact stated there were rival teams of Russian troops: some would come within the morning and a few within the evening.
A few of the equipment was taken to a close-by village, but a few of it launched into a long overland journey to Chechnya greater than 700 miles away. The sophistication of the machinery, which are equipped with GPS, meant that its travel may very well be tracked. It was last tracked to the village of Zakhan Yurt in Chechnya.
The gear 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 flip them on, as a result of the harvesters had been locked remotely," the contact stated.
The gear now seems to be languishing at a farm close to Grozny. But the contact stated that "it seems that the hijackers have discovered consultants in Russia who're attempting to bypass the safety."
"Even if they sell harvesters for spare components, they are going to earn some money," the contact stated.
Different sources in the Melitopol region say theft by Russian navy items has prolonged to grain held in silos, in a region that produces a whole lot of 1000's of tonnes of crops a 12 months.
One source advised CNN that "the occupiers are providing local farmers to share their income 50% to 50%." But 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 will not take this grain from the occupied territory anywhere. "
So Russian forces are merely 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've got clear evidence that they unloaded grain from the Melitopol metropolis elevator. They robbed the elevator together with personal farms," the mayor told CNN.