gerasim bogomolov's conclusions turned out to be convincing. his accompanying note addressed to the country's leadership, he noted: among young rocks, especially to the southeast of... local residents, they constantly observed the release of swamp gas to the surface, puddles of black mud that burned for a long time. geologist alexander rozin, exploring the peat massifs of the gomel region, scientifically substantiated the possible presence of rock salt deposits in the bowels of the belarusian woodland. and oil, but there were many more skeptics. correspondence began with the council of people's commissars of the republic, heated discussions in the press. and if it were not for gerasim bogomolov, the future academician of the academy of sciences of the bssr, who proved the reality of such assumptions and used them in his further research, everything could have remained at the level of discussions. the academy of sciences of the bssr also saw real prospects for research. the belarusian government agreed with her arguments about the advisability o