Аннотация:The author presents the essence of the modern interpretation of ethnological expertise (этнологическая экспертиза) in Russia as well as those epistemological and practical problems that are related to the interpretation of such projects in Russia. He discusses the basic features of the history of surveys within the framework of ethnography and applied anthropology, provides an overview of the definitions, legal regulation and practice of ethnological expertise in Russia. He differentiates three basic types of ethnological expertise: (1) complex modern researches including ethnological expertise as well: legally compulsory ecological and historical-cultural surveys, (2) surveys initiated by citizens against the implementation of state designs, (3) offi cial investigations regulated by regional laws. The author illustrates all three ways of ethnological expertise with examples from the past decades. Eventually he comes to the conclusion that in Russia nowadays there is no comprehensively elaborated or at least generally accepted academic concept of ethnological expertise. Methods vary in accordance with the competencies of research groups. From the research practice of Russian scholars such modes of approach and theories are missing or undefi ned that have been tested and are widespread in international scholarship. The author in detail presents some specific cases of ethnological expertise and after an overview of the basic features of research projects in Russia he discusses future perspectives as well.