Russian troops in Melitopol plunder $5M farm autos from Ukraine — to search out they’ve 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 tools -- because it had been locked remotely.
Over the previous few weeks there's been a rising variety of studies of Russian troops stealing farm equipment, grain and even building supplies - past widespread looting of residences. However the elimination of useful agricultural tools from a John Deere dealership in Melitopol speaks to an increasingly organized operation, one which even makes use of Russian army transport as a part of the heist.CNN has realized that the equipment 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 mix harvesters alone are value $300,000 every.
CNN just isn't naming a contact in Melitopol acquainted with the small print of the case for their very own safety.
The contact stated the method started with the seizure of two combine harvesters, a tractor and a seeder. Over the subsequent few weeks, all the things else was eliminated: in all 27 items of farm machinery. One of the flat-bed trucks used, and caught on camera, had a white "Z" painted on it and gave the impression to be a military truck.
The contact mentioned there have been rival teams of Russian troops: some would come in the morning and some within the evening.
Some of the equipment was taken to a nearby village, but a few of it embarked on a long overland journey to Chechnya greater than 700 miles away. The sophistication of the machinery, that are equipped with GPS, meant that its travel could possibly be tracked. It was last tracked to the village of Zakhan Yurt in Chechnya.
The tools ferried to Chechnya, which included mix harvesters -- may also be managed remotely. "When the invaders drove the stolen harvesters to Chechnya, they realized that they may not even flip them on, because the harvesters were locked remotely," the contact mentioned.
The gear now seems to be languishing at a farm near Grozny. But the contact said that "it seems that the hijackers have discovered consultants in Russia who are attempting to bypass the safety."
"Even if they sell harvesters for spare parts, they'll earn some money," the contact said.
Other sources within the Melitopol area say theft by Russian navy units has extended to grain held in silos, in a area that produces lots of of thousands of tonnes of crops a yr.
One source informed CNN that "the occupiers are offering native farmers to share their profits 50% to 50%." However the farmers trying 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 anyplace. "
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 exhibiting a convoy of vans leaving Melitopol allegedly loaded with grain.
"We now have clear proof that they unloaded grain from the Melitopol city elevator. They robbed the elevator along with non-public farms," the mayor advised CNN.