Russian troops in Melitopol plunder $5M farm automobiles from Ukraine — to find they’ve been remotely disabled
Warning: Undefined variable $post_id in /home/webpages/lima-city/booktips/wordpress_de-2022-03-17-33f52d/wp-content/themes/fast-press/single.php on line 26
However after a journey of more than 700 miles, the thieves had been unable to use any of the equipment -- because it had been locked remotely.
Over the previous few weeks there's been a growing variety of reviews of Russian troops stealing farm gear, grain and even building supplies - past widespread looting of residences. But the elimination of valuable agricultural tools from a John Deere dealership in Melitopol speaks to an increasingly organized operation, one that even makes use of Russian military transport as a part of the heist.CNN has realized that the tools 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 mix harvesters alone are worth $300,000 every.
CNN shouldn't be naming a contact in Melitopol conversant in the small print of the case for their own security.
The contact stated the process started with the seizure of two mix harvesters, a tractor and a seeder. Over the next few weeks, all the things else was removed: in all 27 items of farm equipment. One of many flat-bed vans used, and caught on camera, had a white "Z" painted on it and gave the impression to be a army truck.
The contact stated there were rival teams of Russian troops: some would come within the morning and a few in the night.
Among the machinery was taken to a close-by village, however some of it launched into a long overland journey to Chechnya greater than 700 miles away. The sophistication of the machinery, that are outfitted with GPS, meant that its journey 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 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 have been locked remotely," the contact said.
The equipment now appears to be languishing at a farm close to Grozny. But the contact stated that "plainly the hijackers have discovered consultants in Russia who are making an attempt to bypass the safety."
"Even when they promote harvesters for spare parts, they'll earn some money," the contact stated.
Different sources in the Melitopol region say theft by Russian military units has extended to grain held in silos, in a region that produces lots of of 1000's of tonnes of crops a yr.
One supply instructed CNN that "the occupiers are offering native farmers to share their profits 50% to 50%." But 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'll not take this grain from the occupied territory anyplace. "
So Russian forces are merely taking the grain, the source said. "They steal it, take it to Crimea and that is it."
Last week the mayor of Melitopol posted a video displaying a convoy of vans leaving Melitopol allegedly loaded with grain.
"We have clear proof that they unloaded grain from the Melitopol city elevator. They robbed the elevator together with personal farms," the mayor advised CNN.