ASHULUK FIRING RANGE (Astrakhan region), August 30 (RIA Novosti) - For the first time ever, a single headquarters controlled the joint Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Air Defense exercise, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said Tuesday.

Air defense forces from Russia, Belarus, Armenia, and Tajikistan took part in the military exercise at the Ashuluk firing range in the Astrakhan region of southern Russia.

"This was a special exercise since for the first time ever it was commanded from a single headquarters, whereas in 2001 and 2003 each participating state brought its own command post," Ivanov said.

This was a prototype of a joint CIS group that would be able to deploy a single air defense system in any region, the minister said, giving a positive appraisal of the exercise.

"Combat launches were carried out by Armenian, Tajik, Belarusian, and Russian combat crews. The mission was accomplished," Ivanov said.

Another military exercise with Russian, Kazakh, and Kyrgyz armed forces will be held in Sary-Shagan, Kazakhstan in September.