Russian troops in Melitopol plunder $5M farm vehicles from Ukraine — to seek out they have been remotely disabled
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But after a journey of greater than 700 miles, the thieves have been unable to use any of the equipment -- because it had been locked remotely.
Over the past few weeks there's been a rising variety of reviews of Russian troops stealing farm gear, grain and even constructing supplies - past widespread looting of residences. However the removal of invaluable agricultural gear 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 equipment was removed from an Agrotek dealership in Melitopol, which has been occupied by Russian forces since early March. Altogether it's valued at almost $5 million. The mix harvesters alone are worth $300,000 each.
CNN is not naming a contact in Melitopol aware of the details of the case for their own security.
The contact stated the process started with the seizure of two combine harvesters, a tractor and a seeder. Over the next few weeks, all the things else was removed: in all 27 items 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 army truck.
The contact stated there have been rival teams of Russian troops: some would come in the morning and a few in the night.
Among the machinery was taken to a close-by village, but a few of it embarked on a long overland journey to Chechnya greater than 700 miles away. The sophistication of the equipment, that are geared up with GPS, meant that its journey could possibly be tracked. It was final tracked to the village of Zakhan Yurt in Chechnya.
The tools ferried to Chechnya, which included mix harvesters -- will also 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 had been locked remotely," the contact stated.
The tools now seems to be languishing at a farm near Grozny. But the contact said that "evidently the hijackers have discovered consultants in Russia who're attempting to bypass the safety."
"Even when they sell harvesters for spare parts, they will earn some cash," the contact said.
Other sources in the Melitopol area say theft by Russian navy models has prolonged to grain held in silos, in a area that produces a whole lot of hundreds of tonnes of crops a yr.
One source instructed CNN that "the occupiers are providing native farmers to share their earnings 50% to 50%." However the farmers making an attempt 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 wherever. "
So Russian forces are merely taking the grain, the supply mentioned. "They steal it, take it to Crimea and that is it."
Final week the mayor of Melitopol posted a video exhibiting a convoy of vans leaving Melitopol allegedly loaded with grain.
"We now have clear evidence that they unloaded grain from the Melitopol city elevator. They robbed the elevator along with private farms," the mayor advised CNN.