Missile Hits Shipping Vessel For MN-Based Company In Ukraine

MINNETONKA — A shipping vessel contracted by Minnetonka-based Cargill Inc. was struck by a missile Thursday while leaving a Black Sea port on Ukraine's southern border. It's not clear which side of the war — Ukraine or Russia — fired the missile.

There were no casualties aboard the ship, which remains "seaworthy," KARE 11 reports. The ship is now headed for Romania.

"Right now, our priority is the safety of our people in the region. This is a rapidly evolving situation with a great deal of uncertainty," said April Nelson, a Cargill spokeswoman, told the Star Tribune.

"We are currently gathering information and assessing potential impacts to Cargill and our customers."

Cargill has been in Ukraine for over 20 years and has more than 500 employees in offices in Kyiv, Kakhovka, Lvyv, Kutsovka, and Braginovka, according to the company's website.

Two other Minnesota-based companies, Medtronic and Ecolab, also have offices in Ukraine.

Also read: Americans Evacuate Ukrainian War Zone With Tampa Nonprofit's Help