Russian troops in Melitopol plunder $5M farm autos from Ukraine — to find they’ve been remotely disabled
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However after a journey of greater than 700 miles, the thieves had been unable to use any of the equipment -- because it had been locked remotely.
Over the previous few weeks there's been a growing variety of stories of Russian troops stealing farm gear, grain and even constructing materials - past widespread looting of residences. However the removal of beneficial agricultural tools 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 part of the heist.CNN has learned that the tools was removed 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 worth $300,000 every.
CNN just isn't naming a contact in Melitopol accustomed to the small print of the case for their very own security.
The contact said the process started with the seizure of two mix harvesters, a tractor and a seeder. Over the following few weeks, all the pieces else was eliminated: in all 27 items of farm equipment. One of the flat-bed vehicles used, and caught on digital camera, had a white "Z" painted on it and appeared to be a army truck.
The contact stated there were rival groups of Russian troops: some would come in the morning and some within the night.
Among 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 equipment, which are outfitted with GPS, meant that its journey could possibly be tracked. It was final tracked to the village of Zakhan Yurt in Chechnya.
The equipment ferried to Chechnya, which included combine harvesters -- can also be managed 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 were 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 discovered consultants in Russia who're attempting to bypass the safety."
"Even when they promote harvesters for spare components, they are going to earn some cash," the contact stated.
Other sources in the Melitopol area say theft by Russian army items has extended to grain held in silos, in a region that produces a whole bunch of 1000's of tonnes of crops a yr.
One supply told CNN that "the occupiers are offering local farmers to share their income 50% to 50%." But the farmers attempting 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 will not take this grain from the occupied territory anywhere. "
So Russian forces are merely taking the grain, the source said. "They steal it, take it to Crimea and that's it."
Final 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 metropolis elevator. They robbed the elevator together with personal farms," the mayor told CNN.