Russian troops in Melitopol plunder $5M farm autos from Ukraine — to search out they’ve been remotely disabled
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But after a journey of more than 700 miles, the thieves had 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 reviews of Russian troops stealing farm tools, grain and even constructing materials - beyond widespread looting of residences. However the removal of valuable agricultural gear from a John Deere dealership in Melitopol speaks to an more and more organized operation, one which even uses Russian navy transport as a part of the heist.CNN has realized that the gear 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 mix harvesters alone are price $300,000 each.
CNN shouldn't be naming a contact in Melitopol familiar with the details of the case for their own safety.
The contact said the process began with the seizure of two combine harvesters, a tractor and a seeder. Over the next few weeks, every little thing else was eliminated: in all 27 pieces of farm equipment. One of many flat-bed trucks used, and caught on digital camera, had a white "Z" painted on it and gave the impression to be a military truck.
The contact said there were rival groups of Russian troops: some would come within the morning and a few in the evening.
A few of the equipment was taken to a close-by village, but a few of it launched into an extended overland journey to Chechnya more than 700 miles away. The sophistication of the equipment, which are geared up with GPS, meant that its journey 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 -- may also be managed 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 equipment now appears to be languishing at a farm near Grozny. However the contact stated that "it appears that evidently the hijackers have found consultants in Russia who are trying to bypass the protection."
"Even when they sell harvesters for spare elements, they are going to earn some money," the contact said.
Other sources within the Melitopol area say theft by Russian navy units has extended to grain held in silos, in a region that produces hundreds of thousands of tonnes of crops a year.
One supply advised CNN that "the occupiers are offering native farmers to share their income 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 will not take this grain from the occupied territory anyplace. "
So Russian forces are merely taking the grain, the source mentioned. "They steal it, take it to Crimea and that's it."
Last week the mayor of Melitopol posted a video exhibiting a convoy of vans leaving Melitopol allegedly loaded with grain.
"Now we have clear proof that they unloaded grain from the Melitopol city elevator. They robbed the elevator together with personal farms," the mayor informed CNN.