Russian troops in Melitopol plunder $5M farm automobiles from Ukraine — to seek out they’ve been remotely disabled
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However after a journey of greater than 700 miles, the thieves have been unable to make use of any of the tools -- as a result of it had been locked remotely.
Over the previous few weeks there's been a growing variety of reviews of Russian troops stealing farm gear, grain and even constructing supplies - past widespread looting of residences. But the elimination of helpful agricultural gear 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 gear 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 will not be naming a contact in Melitopol familiar with the small print of the case for their own security.
The contact said the method started with the seizure of two mix harvesters, a tractor and a seeder. Over the following few weeks, all the pieces else was removed: in all 27 pieces of farm machinery. One of the 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 stated there have been rival teams of Russian troops: some would come within the morning and a few in the evening.
Among the machinery was taken to a nearby 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 travel could possibly be tracked. It was last tracked to the village of Zakhan Yurt in Chechnya.
The equipment ferried to Chechnya, which included mix harvesters -- can 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 were locked remotely," the contact stated.
The tools now appears to be languishing at a farm near Grozny. However the contact said that "it seems that the hijackers have found consultants in Russia who are attempting to bypass the protection."
"Even if they sell harvesters for spare components, they are going to earn some money," the contact stated.
Other sources in the Melitopol region say theft by Russian military models has extended to grain held in silos, in a region that produces tons of of thousands of tonnes of crops a year.
One source instructed CNN that "the occupiers are offering native farmers to share their income 50% to 50%." But the farmers trying to work in areas occupied by Russian troops are unable to maneuver their produce.
"Not a single elevator works. Not one of the ports are working. You'll not take this grain from the occupied territory wherever. "
So Russian forces are merely taking the grain, the source mentioned. "They steal it, take it to Crimea and that's it."
Final week the mayor of Melitopol posted a video showing a convoy of vehicles leaving Melitopol allegedly loaded with grain.
"We now have clear evidence that they unloaded grain from the Melitopol city elevator. They robbed the elevator together with private farms," the mayor told CNN.