Russian troops in Melitopol plunder $5M farm vehicles from Ukraine — to seek out they have been remotely disabled

But after a journey of greater than 700 miles, the thieves have been unable to make use of any of the gear -- as a result of it had been locked remotely.

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 almost $5 million. The mix harvesters alone are price $300,000 each.

CNN is just not naming a contact in Melitopol accustomed to the small print of the case for their own security.

The contact said the process began with the seizure of two mix harvesters, a tractor and a seeder. Over the following few weeks, every thing else was removed: in all 27 pieces of farm equipment. One of many flat-bed vehicles used, and caught on digicam, had a white "Z" painted on it and appeared to be a army truck.

The contact stated there were 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, however a few of it embarked on a protracted overland journey to Chechnya more than 700 miles away. The sophistication of the machinery, that are outfitted with GPS, meant that its journey could possibly be tracked. It was final tracked to the village of Zakhan Yurt in Chechnya.

The tools ferried to Chechnya, which included mix harvesters -- can be controlled remotely. "When the invaders drove the stolen harvesters to Chechnya, they realized that they may not even flip them on, because the harvesters were locked remotely," the contact stated.

The gear now seems to be languishing at a farm near Grozny. However the contact mentioned that "plainly the hijackers have discovered consultants in Russia who are making an attempt to bypass the safety."

"Even when they sell harvesters for spare components, they are going to earn some money," the contact said.

Different sources within the Melitopol area say theft by Russian navy models has extended to grain held in silos, in a region that produces lots of of hundreds of tonnes of crops a 12 months.

One supply instructed CNN that "the occupiers are providing native farmers to share their income 50% to 50%." However the farmers trying 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'll not take this grain from the occupied territory wherever. "

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've clear evidence that they unloaded grain from the Melitopol metropolis elevator. They robbed the elevator together with non-public farms," the mayor advised CNN.