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 greater than 700 miles, the thieves were unable to use any of the gear -- because it had been locked remotely.
Over the previous few weeks there's been a growing number of reports of Russian troops stealing farm equipment, grain and even building materials - beyond widespread looting of residences. However the removing of beneficial agricultural tools from a John Deere dealership in Melitopol speaks to an more and more organized operation, one that even uses Russian military transport as a part of the heist.CNN has learned that the tools 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 worth $300,000 each.
CNN shouldn't be naming a contact in Melitopol conversant in the details of the case for their own security.
The contact stated the method began with the seizure of two mix harvesters, a tractor and a seeder. Over the following few weeks, every thing else was eliminated: in all 27 pieces of farm equipment. One of many flat-bed vehicles used, and caught on camera, had a white "Z" painted on it and appeared to be a navy truck.
The contact said there were rival groups of Russian troops: some would come within the morning and a few in the night.
A number of the machinery was taken to a nearby village, but some of it launched into a long overland journey to Chechnya more than 700 miles away. The sophistication of the machinery, which are geared up with GPS, meant that its travel could 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 managed remotely. "When the invaders drove the stolen harvesters to Chechnya, they realized that they could not even turn them on, as a result of the harvesters were locked remotely," the contact mentioned.
The equipment now appears to be languishing at a farm close to Grozny. But the contact said that "evidently the hijackers have discovered consultants in Russia who're making an attempt to bypass the protection."
"Even if they promote harvesters for spare elements, they may earn some cash," the contact mentioned.
Different sources within the Melitopol region say theft by Russian military units has extended to grain held in silos, in a region that produces hundreds of 1000's of tonnes of crops a yr.
One supply informed CNN that "the occupiers are providing native farmers to share their profits 50% to 50%." But the farmers making an attempt to work in areas occupied by Russian troops are unable to move their produce.
"Not a single elevator works. None 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 supply said. "They steal it, take it to Crimea and that is it."
Last week the mayor of Melitopol posted a video displaying a convoy of vehicles leaving Melitopol allegedly loaded with grain.
"Now we have clear proof that they unloaded grain from the Melitopol metropolis elevator. They robbed the elevator together with personal farms," the mayor told CNN.