Russian troops in Melitopol plunder $5M farm autos from Ukraine — to find they have been remotely disabled
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But after a journey of more than 700 miles, the thieves have been unable to use any of the gear -- because it had been locked remotely.
Over the past few weeks there's been a rising number of reviews of Russian troops stealing farm gear, grain and even constructing supplies - beyond widespread looting of residences. But the removing of precious agricultural gear from a John Deere dealership in Melitopol speaks to an more and more organized operation, one which even uses Russian navy transport as a part of the heist.CNN has realized 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 combine harvesters alone are worth $300,000 every.
CNN will not be naming a contact in Melitopol aware of the small print of the case for their own security.
The contact said the process started with the seizure of two mix harvesters, a tractor and a seeder. Over the next few weeks, every thing else was removed: in all 27 pieces of farm equipment. One of many flat-bed vehicles used, and caught on digicam, had a white "Z" painted on it and gave the impression to be a navy truck.
The contact stated there were rival teams of Russian troops: some would come in the morning and some in the night.
Among the equipment was taken to a close-by village, but a few of it embarked on an extended overland journey to Chechnya more 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 gear ferried to Chechnya, which included mix harvesters -- can also be controlled remotely. "When the invaders drove the stolen harvesters to Chechnya, they realized that they may not even turn them on, as a result of the harvesters have been locked remotely," the contact mentioned.
The gear now seems to be languishing at a farm near Grozny. But the contact stated that "evidently the hijackers have found consultants in Russia who're trying to bypass the protection."
"Even when they sell harvesters for spare components, they will earn some cash," the contact stated.
Other sources in the Melitopol area say theft by Russian military items has extended to grain held in silos, in a region that produces lots of of hundreds of tonnes of crops a yr.
One source instructed CNN that "the occupiers are providing local farmers to share their income 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. Not one 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 source 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 vehicles leaving Melitopol allegedly loaded with grain.
"We've clear evidence that they unloaded grain from the Melitopol metropolis elevator. They robbed the elevator together with personal farms," the mayor advised CNN.