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 had been unable to make use of any of the equipment -- as a result of it had been locked remotely.
Over the past few weeks there's been a growing number of experiences of Russian troops stealing farm equipment, grain and even building materials - beyond widespread looting of residences. However the removal of precious agricultural equipment from a John Deere dealership in Melitopol speaks to an increasingly organized operation, one which even uses Russian navy transport as a part of the heist.CNN has learned 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 mix harvesters alone are value $300,000 each.
CNN shouldn't be naming a contact in Melitopol conversant in the details of the case for their very own security.
The contact stated the method began with the seizure of two mix harvesters, a tractor and a seeder. Over the next few weeks, the whole lot else was eliminated: in all 27 pieces of farm machinery. One of many flat-bed vehicles used, and caught on digital camera, had a white "Z" painted on it and seemed to be a military truck.
The contact mentioned there were rival groups 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 launched into an extended overland journey to Chechnya greater than 700 miles away. The sophistication of the equipment, which are outfitted with GPS, meant that its travel could possibly be tracked. It was last tracked to the village of Zakhan Yurt in Chechnya.
The gear ferried to Chechnya, which included mix harvesters -- may also be controlled remotely. "When the invaders drove the stolen harvesters to Chechnya, they realized that they might not even turn them on, as a result of the harvesters had been locked remotely," the contact mentioned.
The equipment now appears to be languishing at a farm close to Grozny. However the contact stated that "evidently the hijackers have found consultants in Russia who are making an attempt to bypass the safety."
"Even when they promote harvesters for spare parts, they may earn some cash," the contact mentioned.
Different sources in the Melitopol area say theft by Russian navy models has extended to grain held in silos, in a region that produces hundreds of hundreds of tonnes of crops a yr.
One supply informed CNN that "the occupiers are providing native farmers to share their earnings 50% to 50%." However the farmers attempting to work in areas occupied by Russian troops are unable to move their produce.
"Not a single elevator works. None of the ports are working. You'll not take this grain from the occupied territory anywhere. "
So Russian forces are simply taking the grain, the supply stated. "They steal it, take it to Crimea and that is 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 evidence that they unloaded grain from the Melitopol city elevator. They robbed the elevator together with private farms," the mayor told CNN.