Thousands of UK gas masks being sent to Ukraine

Ukraine leaders have called for more gas masks to be sent to their country

More than 65,000 gas masks made in Wiltshire are to be sent out to troops in Ukraine to help them defend their country.

Avon Protection, in Melksham, has received two Nato orders to supply personal respirators as part of a multimillion-pound deal.

The US has accused Russia of deploying chemical weapons on the battlefield, in violation of international laws.

Justin Hine, director of strategy and product management at Avon Protection, said: "Because of the urgency we've immediately jumped on this requirement, the respirators are in production now and we will be supplying them imminently."

Former army commander Hamish de Bretton-Gordon said most of the Ukrainian forces in the trenches "don't have gas masks"

"These are desperately needed and they [Ukraine] need the most widely proven and easy to use product," he added.

Former army chemical weapons commander, Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, said the Russians have been using chemical weapons "almost continuously" over the last 18 months.

"They send over [attack] drones with cannisters full of [gas] and drop it into the trenches," he said.

"It's a riot control agent but it's illegal under the Chemical Weapons Convention.

"So, the need for proper protection - good high quality gas masks - is absolutely essential."