Russian troops in Melitopol plunder $5M farm vehicles from Ukraine — to find 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 -- because it had been locked remotely.
Over the previous few weeks there's been a rising variety of reviews of Russian troops stealing farm tools, grain and even constructing materials - past widespread looting of residences. However the elimination of beneficial agricultural tools from a John Deere dealership in Melitopol speaks to an increasingly organized operation, one that even makes use of Russian navy transport as part of the heist.CNN has discovered that the equipment was removed from an Agrotek dealership in Melitopol, which has been occupied by Russian forces since early March. Altogether it's valued at practically $5 million. The combine harvesters alone are worth $300,000 each.
CNN isn't naming a contact in Melitopol acquainted with the small print of the case for their own security.
The contact stated the process began with the seizure of two combine harvesters, a tractor and a seeder. Over the following few weeks, every part else was eliminated: 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 appeared to be a navy truck.
The contact mentioned there were rival teams of Russian troops: some would come within the morning and some within the evening.
Some of the equipment was taken to a close-by village, but some of it launched into a protracted overland journey to Chechnya greater than 700 miles away. The sophistication of the machinery, that are equipped with GPS, meant that its travel could be tracked. It was last tracked to the village of Zakhan Yurt in Chechnya.
The tools ferried to Chechnya, which included combine harvesters -- can also be controlled remotely. "When the invaders drove the stolen harvesters to Chechnya, they realized that they might not even flip them on, as a result of the harvesters had been locked remotely," the contact said.
The equipment now seems to be languishing at a farm near Grozny. However the contact said that "plainly the hijackers have found consultants in Russia who are trying to bypass the safety."
"Even if they promote harvesters for spare components, they may earn some cash," the contact said.
Other sources in the Melitopol region say theft by Russian military models has extended to grain held in silos, in a region that produces a whole lot of thousands of tonnes of crops a year.
One source instructed CNN that "the occupiers are providing local farmers to share their income 50% to 50%." But the farmers attempting to work in areas occupied by Russian troops are unable to maneuver 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 merely 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 displaying a convoy of trucks 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 told CNN.