A team of ethnographers from Turkmenistan is participating in the "Great Altai: Turkic Heritage" international research expedition, which has commenced across the Altai Krai and the Republic of Altai. According to Gorno-altaisk.info, the field research team—organized by the "Great Altai" Scientific and Educational Center for Altaic and Turkic Studies at Altai State University alongside Gorno-Altaisk State University—brings together scholars from Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Russia.

The fieldwork focuses on documenting the cultural practices, lifestyle traditions, and social structures of indigenous ethnic groups, including the Kumandins, Chelkans, Tubalars, Altaians, and Telengits. The expedition itinerary begins in the city of Biysk before proceeding to the Turochaksky, Ust-Kansky, and Ust-Koksinsky districts of the Altai Republic to conduct field interviews and field observational studies.

Expedition leader Ivan Nazarov emphasized that the initiative aims to map historical and cultural continuity between Central Asian Turkic peoples and the Altai region. The ethnographic survey covers traditional economic practices, housing architecture, material attire, culinary customs, kinship terminology, and spiritual beliefs. The 2026 expedition represents the most internationally diverse cohort in the project's history, featuring researchers from five nations.