Russian troops in Melitopol plunder $5M farm vehicles from Ukraine — to search out they have been remotely disabled
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However after a journey of greater 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 reports of Russian troops stealing farm equipment, grain and even building supplies - past widespread looting of residences. But the removing of beneficial agricultural equipment 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 learned 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 practically $5 million. The combine harvesters alone are value $300,000 each.
CNN will not be naming a contact in Melitopol accustomed to the details of the case for their own security.
The contact said the process began with the seizure of two combine harvesters, a tractor and a seeder. Over the subsequent few weeks, the whole lot else was removed: in all 27 pieces of farm machinery. One of the flat-bed vehicles used, and caught on digital camera, had a white "Z" painted on it and appeared to be a navy truck.
The contact stated there have been rival groups of Russian troops: some would come within the morning and some in 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 machinery, that are geared up 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 also be managed remotely. "When the invaders drove the stolen harvesters to Chechnya, they realized that they could not even flip them on, because the harvesters had been locked remotely," the contact mentioned.
The gear now seems to be languishing at a farm close to Grozny. However the contact said that "it appears that evidently the hijackers have found consultants in Russia who're making an attempt to bypass the protection."
"Even when they sell harvesters for spare elements, they'll earn some cash," the contact mentioned.
Other sources within the Melitopol area say theft by Russian navy items has extended to grain held in silos, in a area that produces a whole lot of hundreds of tonnes of crops a year.
One source advised CNN that "the occupiers are providing native 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. None of the ports are working. You will not take this grain from the occupied territory anywhere. "
So Russian forces are simply taking the grain, the supply mentioned. "They steal it, take it to Crimea and that is it."
Final week the mayor of Melitopol posted a video showing a convoy of vans leaving Melitopol allegedly loaded with grain.
"We've clear proof that they unloaded grain from the Melitopol metropolis elevator. They robbed the elevator together with personal farms," the mayor informed CNN.