Russian troops in Melitopol plunder $5M farm automobiles from Ukraine — to find they’ve been remotely disabled
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However after a journey of more than 700 miles, the thieves were unable to make use of any of the gear -- as a result of 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 - beyond widespread looting of residences. However the elimination of helpful agricultural equipment from a John Deere dealership in Melitopol speaks to an more and more organized operation, one which even makes use of Russian military transport as a part of the heist.CNN has realized that the equipment was faraway from an Agrotek dealership in Melitopol, which has been occupied by Russian forces since early March. Altogether it is valued at almost $5 million. The mix harvesters alone are value $300,000 each.
CNN just isn't naming a contact in Melitopol accustomed to the details of the case for their 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, everything else was removed: in all 27 items of farm equipment. One of the flat-bed trucks used, and caught on camera, had a white "Z" painted on it and gave the impression to be a army truck.
The contact said there have been rival groups of Russian troops: some would come in the morning and a few in the night.
A few of the machinery was taken to a nearby village, but some of it embarked on a protracted overland journey to Chechnya more than 700 miles away. The sophistication of the equipment, 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 -- may also be managed remotely. "When the invaders drove the stolen harvesters to Chechnya, they realized that they might not even flip them on, as a result of the harvesters have been locked remotely," the contact stated.
The equipment now seems to be languishing at a farm near Grozny. But the contact mentioned that "it seems that the hijackers have discovered consultants in Russia who're making an attempt to bypass the safety."
"Even when they sell harvesters for spare parts, they will earn some cash," the contact stated.
Other sources in the Melitopol region say theft by Russian army units has extended to grain held in silos, in a area that produces hundreds of hundreds of tonnes of crops a year.
One source instructed 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 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 exhibiting a convoy of vans leaving Melitopol allegedly loaded with grain.
"We now have clear proof that they unloaded grain from the Melitopol city elevator. They robbed the elevator along with private farms," the mayor told CNN.