The Thales missile factory in Belfast is to supply 5,000 air defence missiles to Ukraine, the prime minister has announced. The deal is worth up to £1.6bn and will involve recruiting 200 additional staff.

The missiles will be produced at Thales in Belfast, Northern Ireland, where the order will create 200 jobs and support 700 existing ones.

The North’s First Minister has said she is “incredulous” at a large order for a Belfast plant to supply missiles for Ukraine. The Thales plant in east Belfast is to supply 5,000 air defence missiles to Ukraine in a deal worth up to £1.6 billion (€2 billion), the British government has announced.