MOSCOW, December 22 (RIA Novosti) - A total of 215 service personnel in Russia's Armed Forces have committed suicide since the start of the year, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Monday.

The ministry said that 427 Russian service personnel in the country's Armed Forces were killed in a total of 15,390 accidents and other non-combat related incidents.

In November four people were murdered or died from incidents involving negligence (23 since the start of the year), six died in accidents (112 since January), while 15 committed suicide (215 since year start).

The ministry said the casualty figures are virtually unchanged from last year when 442 Russian service personnel died in 16,899 accidents and non-combat incidents.

In 2006, a total of 554 service personnel were killed in 21,252 accidents and other incidents in the Russian Armed Forces.