A file containing documents relating to the internal political situation in the Soviet Union. Subjects covered in the file include the importance of Siberia, with access to its vast mineral wealth hindered by its remoteness and harsh climate; the severe problems facing the Soviet leadership; the leadership's recognition of the problems and its inability to provide solutions; and the view that the Soviet political system encouraged conformity and mediocrity. Other subjects discussed in the file include the possibility that the Soviet Union was on the brink of collapse; rumours of several scandals involving members of the Soviet leadership; speculation on the state of health of the Soviet leader, Leonid Brezhnev; and some unofficial expressions of Soviet public opinion. Documents in the file include a calendar of key events during 1981; and a report by the British ambassador in Moscow, Curtis Keeble, on the exploitation and development of Siberia.