Russian troops in Melitopol plunder $5M farm vehicles from Ukraine — to find they have been remotely disabled
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However after a journey of greater than 700 miles, the thieves had been unable to make use of any of the gear -- because it had been locked remotely.
Over the past few weeks there's been a rising variety of stories of Russian troops stealing farm tools, grain and even building materials - past widespread looting of residences. But the removal of worthwhile agricultural equipment from a John Deere dealership in Melitopol speaks to an increasingly organized operation, one that even makes use of Russian navy transport as part of the heist.CNN has discovered 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 nearly $5 million. The combine harvesters alone are price $300,000 each.
CNN is just not naming a contact in Melitopol familiar with the small print of the case for their very own security.
The contact mentioned the method began with the seizure of two mix harvesters, a tractor and a seeder. Over the next few weeks, every part else was eliminated: in all 27 pieces of farm machinery. 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 mentioned there were rival teams of Russian troops: some would come in the morning and some within the evening.
Some of the machinery was taken to a close-by village, however some of it embarked on a protracted overland journey to Chechnya greater than 700 miles away. The sophistication of the machinery, that are equipped with GPS, meant that its journey could be tracked. It was last tracked to the village of Zakhan Yurt in Chechnya.
The equipment ferried to Chechnya, which included combine harvesters -- will also 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 had been locked remotely," the contact mentioned.
The equipment now seems to be languishing at a farm near Grozny. However the contact stated that "plainly the hijackers have discovered consultants in Russia who're making an attempt to bypass the protection."
"Even when they sell harvesters for spare parts, they'll earn some cash," the contact stated.
Different sources in the Melitopol region say theft by Russian navy units has prolonged to grain held in silos, in a area that produces lots of of thousands of tonnes of crops a year.
One source advised CNN that "the occupiers are offering native farmers to share their income 50% to 50%." However the farmers attempting to work in areas occupied by Russian troops are unable to maneuver their produce.
"Not a single elevator works. None of the ports are working. You'll not take this grain from the occupied territory anyplace. "
So Russian forces are simply 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 trucks leaving Melitopol allegedly loaded with grain.
"We have now clear proof that they unloaded grain from the Melitopol metropolis elevator. They robbed the elevator along with personal farms," the mayor instructed CNN.