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

But 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.

CNN has realized that the tools was removed from an Agrotek dealership in Melitopol, which has been occupied by Russian forces since early March. Altogether it's valued at practically $5 million. The mix harvesters alone are value $300,000 every.

CNN isn't naming a contact in Melitopol familiar with the small print of the case for their own security.

The contact said the method started with the seizure of two mix harvesters, a tractor and a seeder. Over the following few weeks, every little thing else was eliminated: in all 27 pieces of farm machinery. One of the flat-bed trucks used, and caught on digital camera, had a white "Z" painted on it and gave the impression to be a military truck.

The contact stated there were rival teams of Russian troops: some would come in the morning and a few in the evening.

Some of the equipment was taken to a close-by village, but a few of it launched into an extended overland journey to Chechnya greater than 700 miles away. The sophistication of the machinery, which are equipped with GPS, meant that its travel might be tracked. It was final tracked to the village of Zakhan Yurt in Chechnya.

The gear 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, as a result of the harvesters were locked remotely," the contact stated.

The tools now appears to be languishing at a farm near Grozny. However the contact mentioned that "evidently the hijackers have discovered consultants in Russia who're trying to bypass the protection."

"Even if they promote harvesters for spare elements, they are going to earn some cash," the contact mentioned.

Different sources within the Melitopol region say theft by Russian military items has extended to grain held in silos, in a area that produces a whole lot of 1000's of tonnes of crops a 12 months.

One supply instructed CNN that "the occupiers are providing local farmers to share their income 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. Not one 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's it."

Last week the mayor of Melitopol posted a video exhibiting a convoy of vehicles leaving Melitopol allegedly loaded with grain.

"Now we have clear evidence that they unloaded grain from the Melitopol metropolis elevator. They robbed the elevator together with non-public farms," the mayor informed CNN.