Russian troops in Melitopol plunder $5M farm vehicles from Ukraine — to seek out they have been remotely disabled
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However after a journey of more than 700 miles, the thieves have been unable to use any of the gear -- as a result of it had been locked remotely.
Over the past few weeks there's been a growing variety of experiences of Russian troops stealing farm gear, grain and even constructing materials - past widespread looting of residences. But the removing of useful agricultural tools from a John Deere dealership in Melitopol speaks to an increasingly organized operation, one which even makes use of Russian military transport as a part of the heist.CNN has learned that the tools was faraway from an Agrotek dealership in Melitopol, which has been occupied by Russian forces since early March. Altogether it's valued at almost $5 million. The combine harvesters alone are price $300,000 each.
CNN is not naming a contact in Melitopol aware of the details of the case for their very own security.
The contact stated the process started with the seizure of two mix harvesters, a tractor and a seeder. Over the following few weeks, all the pieces else was eliminated: in all 27 pieces of farm machinery. One of many flat-bed trucks used, and caught on camera, had a white "Z" painted on it and seemed to be a navy truck.
The contact said there were rival teams of Russian troops: some would come in the morning and a few within the night.
A few of the equipment was taken to a nearby village, however a few of it embarked on an extended overland journey to Chechnya greater than 700 miles away. The sophistication of the equipment, that are equipped with GPS, meant that its journey could be tracked. It was last tracked to the village of Zakhan Yurt in Chechnya.
The gear ferried to Chechnya, which included mix harvesters -- will 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 were locked remotely," the contact stated.
The tools now appears to be languishing at a farm close to Grozny. However 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 are going to earn some money," 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 bunch of hundreds of tonnes of crops a year.
One source told CNN that "the occupiers are providing local farmers to share their earnings 50% to 50%." However the farmers attempting 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 anywhere. "
So Russian forces are simply taking the grain, the source mentioned. "They steal it, take it to Crimea and that's it."
Final week the mayor of Melitopol posted a video displaying a convoy of trucks leaving Melitopol allegedly loaded with grain.
"We have now clear proof that they unloaded grain from the Melitopol city elevator. They robbed the elevator together with personal farms," the mayor told CNN.