The United Kingdom is supplying Ukraine with a new shipment of military-grade gas masks to defend against potential chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) threats, according to a press release issued Monday.
The £10.2 million order will be fulfilled by Avon Technologies, a Wiltshire-based defense manufacturer known for its FM50 respirator, which meets NATO standards and is used by military forces around the world. A variant of the system is currently issued to U.S. troops under the designation M50.
The British Ministry of Defence (MoD) said the delivery reinforces its ongoing military assistance to Ukraine, with the new equipment aimed at protecting Ukrainian personnel operating in areas at risk of exposure to toxic agents.
In a statement, Jos Sclater, Chief Executive Officer of Avon Technologies, said:
“We are proud of the contribution Avon Protection provides to the national security of the United Kingdom and its international partners. This order demonstrates our critical contribution to the overall health and resilience of the UK defence industrial base and reinforces the UK’s commitment to continue its military support to Ukraine, as stated in the 2025 Strategic Defence Review.”
Avon’s FM50 respirator is designed to deliver full-face protection against a range of CBRN threats. The system combines a lightweight design with low breathing resistance, making it suitable for extended battlefield use. Variants of the mask are currently in service with multiple NATO allies.
The delivery comes amid continuing concerns over the use of chemical agents by Russian forces in Ukraine. In October 2024, the UK sanctioned several Russian military personnel, including commanders, for breaches of the Chemical Weapons Convention. At the time, the British government said Russian units had “openly admitted to using hazardous chemical weapons on the battlefield.”
The U.S. State Department has also accused Russian troops of deploying chemicals such as chloropicrin—a choking agent first used in World War I—and riot control agents including tear gas during operations in Ukraine.
In a statement included with the announcement, Steve Elwell, President of Avon Protection, said: “The UK has put its trust in Avon Protection’s products for decades, most recently with an order for our EXOSKIN boots and gloves and now with this FM50 order. This trust is extended to the benefit of our Ukraine partner to provide enhanced protection for their personnel on the front line.”
The MoD has not disclosed the number of respirators to be delivered or the timeline for shipment, but officials noted that the equipment would be deployed to frontline units as soon as logistically possible.
The gas masks are expected to be part of a broader set of defensive supplies aimed at hardening Ukraine’s resilience in contested zones, especially where conventional threats are compounded by the possibility of CBRN exposure.
The procurement underscores growing Western concern about battlefield chemical use and reflects the UK’s stated intent to deepen its defense relationship with Ukraine throughout 2025.