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Oct 28, 2024

British-made gas masks could help Ukraine soldiers

A former army commander says gas masks made in Britain could help Ukrainians defend their country. Avon Protection, in Melksham, Wiltshire, makes "world-leading" masks, which are being requested by

A former army commander says gas masks made in Britain could help Ukrainians defend their country.

Avon Protection, in Melksham, Wiltshire, makes "world-leading" masks, which are being requested by the Ukrainian government as it is alleged chemical weapons are being used against them.

Ukraine has asked for 90,000 more masks from allies - and the company makes around 500,000 masks each year at its sites in Wiltshire and US.

A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said it has sent 8,500 gas masks since 2022 and regularly talks to Ukraine on "how equipment can best meet their needs".

President of the company, Steve Elwell, said the FM50 model is "world-leading" and about 4 million are sold annually across the globe.

"A typical tactic might be to use something like CS (tear) gas to draw troops out of their foxholes.

"With a gas mask, you don't have to exit that foxhole, you don't have to put yourself in the line of fire," he explained.

Former army chemical weapons commander Hamish de Bretton-Gordon said "it's obvious they [Ukrainians] need decent gas masks".

"Some units I speak to are being hit two or three times a day.

"The masks they [Ukrainians] have at the moment are old Soviet ones and the filters don’t work," he added.

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