Russian troops in Melitopol plunder $5M farm autos from Ukraine — to seek out they’ve been remotely disabled
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However after a journey of more 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 rising number of reports of Russian troops stealing farm gear, grain and even building supplies - beyond widespread looting of residences. But the removing of useful agricultural equipment from a John Deere dealership in Melitopol speaks to an more and more organized operation, one that even makes use of 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 combine harvesters alone are worth $300,000 each.
CNN will not be naming a contact in Melitopol conversant in the main points of the case for their very own safety.
The contact said the method started 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 items of farm equipment. One of the flat-bed vans used, and caught on digital camera, had a white "Z" painted on it and gave the impression to be a military truck.
The contact stated there were rival teams of Russian troops: some would come within the morning and some within the evening.
A number of the equipment was taken to a nearby village, however a few of it launched into a protracted overland journey to Chechnya more than 700 miles away. The sophistication of the machinery, which are outfitted with GPS, meant that its travel could be tracked. It was final tracked to the village of Zakhan Yurt in Chechnya.
The gear ferried to Chechnya, which included mix harvesters -- can be controlled remotely. "When the invaders drove the stolen harvesters to Chechnya, they realized that they may not even turn them on, because the harvesters have been locked remotely," the contact said.
The gear now appears to be languishing at a farm close to Grozny. However the contact said that "it seems that the hijackers have found consultants in Russia who're attempting to bypass the safety."
"Even when they promote harvesters for spare elements, they may earn some cash," the contact mentioned.
Other sources within the Melitopol area say theft by Russian army units has extended to grain held in silos, in a region that produces lots of of hundreds of tonnes of crops a 12 months.
One supply 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. None 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 stated. "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.
"We have now clear evidence that they unloaded grain from the Melitopol metropolis elevator. They robbed the elevator together with non-public farms," the mayor advised CNN.