Russian troops in Melitopol plunder $5M farm vehicles from Ukraine — to find they have been remotely disabled
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But after a journey of greater than 700 miles, the thieves had been unable to make use of any of the equipment -- as a result of it had been locked remotely.
Over the previous few weeks there's been a rising number of experiences of Russian troops stealing farm tools, grain and even building supplies - past widespread looting of residences. However the removal of invaluable agricultural equipment from a John Deere dealership in Melitopol speaks to an more and more organized operation, one which even uses Russian military transport as a part of the heist.CNN has discovered 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 isn't naming a contact in Melitopol aware of the main points of the case for their very own security.
The contact said the method started with the seizure of two combine harvesters, a tractor and a seeder. Over the following few weeks, every part else was removed: in all 27 items of farm machinery. One of many flat-bed vehicles used, and caught on digicam, had a white "Z" painted on it and seemed to be a navy truck.
The contact said there were rival teams of Russian troops: some would come in the morning and some within the evening.
A number of the equipment was taken to a nearby village, but a few of it launched into an extended overland journey to Chechnya greater than 700 miles away. The sophistication of the equipment, which are geared up with GPS, meant that its travel may very well be tracked. It was final tracked to the village of Zakhan Yurt in Chechnya.
The equipment 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 flip them on, because the harvesters have been locked remotely," the contact mentioned.
The tools now seems to be languishing at a farm close to Grozny. But the contact said that "plainly the hijackers have discovered consultants in Russia who're attempting to bypass the safety."
"Even when they promote harvesters for spare elements, they'll earn some money," the contact mentioned.
Other sources in the Melitopol region say theft by Russian navy models has extended to grain held in silos, in a area that produces a whole bunch of thousands of tonnes of crops a year.
One supply instructed 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. 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 stated. "They steal it, take it to Crimea and that is it."
Final 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 private farms," the mayor instructed CNN.