MOSCOW, March 28. /TASS/. Production of artillery, tank and mortar shells of different caliber and air-launched rockets by plants in Chelyabinsk and Kirov Regions will grow by 7-8 times by the year-end, the Russian Defense Ministry told reporters on Tuesday.

Chief executives of defense industry plants reported about production facilities upgrade and expansion during the business visit of Russian Defense Ministry Sergey Shoigu to these regions.

"Implementation of these projects has already enabled plants to have a several-fold increase in ammunition output to satisfy needs of Russian troops, and manufacturing of individual kinds of products will grow by 7-8 times by the end of this year," the Ministry informed.

The Minister inspected production facilities of plants directly involved in making military products for the special military operation during the visit, the Ministry added.