Russian troops in Melitopol plunder $5M farm automobiles from Ukraine — to find they’ve been remotely disabled
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However after a journey of greater than 700 miles, the thieves had been unable to use any of the equipment -- because it had been locked remotely.
Over the past few weeks there's been a rising variety of stories of Russian troops stealing farm tools, grain and even constructing materials - past widespread looting of residences. But the removal of beneficial agricultural tools from a John Deere dealership in Melitopol speaks to an increasingly organized operation, one which even uses Russian army transport as part of the heist.CNN has learned 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 nearly $5 million. The mix harvesters alone are price $300,000 every.
CNN is just not naming a contact in Melitopol familiar with the details of the case for their own safety.
The contact said the method began with the seizure of two combine harvesters, a tractor and a seeder. Over the following few weeks, the whole lot else was eliminated: in all 27 pieces of farm machinery. One of the flat-bed vehicles used, and caught on camera, had a white "Z" painted on it and gave the impression to be a army truck.
The contact said there have been rival teams of Russian troops: some would come within the morning and a few within the evening.
A number 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, which are equipped with GPS, meant that its travel could possibly be tracked. It was final tracked to the village of Zakhan Yurt in Chechnya.
The equipment ferried to Chechnya, which included combine harvesters -- may also be managed remotely. "When the invaders drove the stolen harvesters to Chechnya, they realized that they could not even turn them on, as a result of the harvesters were locked remotely," the contact mentioned.
The gear now appears to be languishing at a farm near Grozny. However the contact stated that "plainly the hijackers have found consultants in Russia who're trying to bypass the protection."
"Even when they promote harvesters for spare components, they are going to earn some money," the contact mentioned.
Different 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 hundreds of tonnes of crops a 12 months.
One source informed CNN that "the occupiers are providing native farmers to share their earnings 50% to 50%." But the farmers making an attempt 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 simply taking the grain, the supply said. "They steal it, take it to Crimea and that is it."
Final week the mayor of Melitopol posted a video exhibiting a convoy of vehicles leaving Melitopol allegedly loaded with grain.
"We now have clear proof that they unloaded grain from the Melitopol city elevator. They robbed the elevator together with non-public farms," the mayor informed CNN.