Russian troops in Melitopol plunder $5M farm vehicles from Ukraine — to find they have 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 greater than 700 miles, the thieves were unable to use any of the tools -- as a result of it had been locked remotely.
Over the past few weeks there's been a rising number of studies of Russian troops stealing farm equipment, grain and even constructing materials - past widespread looting of residences. However the removal of priceless agricultural tools from a John Deere dealership in Melitopol speaks to an more and more organized operation, one which even makes use of Russian navy transport as part of the heist.CNN has learned that the gear was faraway from an Agrotek dealership in Melitopol, which has been occupied by Russian forces since early March. Altogether it is valued at nearly $5 million. The mix harvesters alone are value $300,000 every.
CNN is not naming a contact in Melitopol conversant in the small print of the case for their very own safety.
The contact stated the process started with the seizure of two mix harvesters, a tractor and a seeder. Over the subsequent few weeks, every little thing else was eliminated: in all 27 pieces of farm machinery. One of many flat-bed vehicles used, and caught on camera, had a white "Z" painted on it and seemed to be a navy truck.
The contact mentioned there were rival groups of Russian troops: some would come within the morning and a few within the night.
A few of the equipment was taken to a close-by village, however a few of it launched into an extended overland journey to Chechnya greater than 700 miles away. The sophistication of the machinery, that are equipped with GPS, meant that its journey may very well be tracked. It was last tracked to the village of Zakhan Yurt in Chechnya.
The gear ferried to Chechnya, which included combine harvesters -- may also be controlled remotely. "When the invaders drove the stolen harvesters to Chechnya, they realized that they might not even turn them on, because the harvesters had been locked remotely," the contact stated.
The gear now seems to be languishing at a farm close to Grozny. However the contact said that "evidently the hijackers have discovered consultants in Russia who are making an attempt to bypass the safety."
"Even when they sell harvesters for spare parts, they will earn some money," the contact said.
Different sources within the Melitopol area say theft by Russian military units has extended to grain held in silos, in a region that produces tons of of hundreds of tonnes of crops a year.
One source informed CNN that "the occupiers are providing native farmers to share their profits 50% to 50%." But 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'll 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's it."
Final week the mayor of Melitopol posted a video showing a convoy of vans leaving Melitopol allegedly loaded with grain.
"We've clear evidence that they unloaded grain from the Melitopol city elevator. They robbed the elevator along with private farms," the mayor told CNN.