In 27 of October 1924 , the Turkestan ASSR was dissolved , in accordance with the decree of the Central Executive Committee of the USSR and the Turkmen SSR became one of the republics of the Soviet Union . At this time the modern borders of Turkmenistan were formed . The Turkmen Government renamed Ashgabat into Poltoratsk after a local revolutionary , however the name " Ashgabat " was restored in 1927 . In February 1925 , the Turkmenistan Communist Party held its first Congress in Ashkhabad . From this period onward the city experienced rapid growth and industrialisation , although it was severely disrupted by the October 1948 Ashgabat earthquake . With an estimated surface wave magnitude of 7.3 , the earthquake killed 10,000 – 110,000 . According to other local sources , two-third of a population of 176,000 inhabitants perished
1948 Ashgabat earthquake
1948 Ashgabat earthquake
History of Turkmenistan