▁the ▁Russian ▁Empire ▁along ▁with ▁the ▁Georg ian ▁state . ▁L ori ▁was ▁a ▁strateg ically ▁important ▁territory ▁for ▁the ▁Russian ▁def ensive ▁forces ▁on ▁the ▁border ▁against ▁Pers ia . ▁In ▁ 1 8 2 6 , ▁the ▁settlement ▁of ▁G har ak il isa ▁was ▁entirely ▁destroyed ▁by ▁Has an ▁Khan ▁during ▁the ▁Rus so - Pers ian ▁war . ▁In ▁ 1 8 2 8 , ▁the ▁Rus si ans ▁founded ▁a ▁new ▁town ▁as ▁a ▁major ▁centre ▁for ▁the ▁deployment ▁of ▁their ▁troops ▁during ▁the ▁Rus so - T urk ish ▁War ▁of ▁ 1 8 2 8 – 2 9 . ▁According ▁to ▁Kh ach atur ▁Ab ov ian , ▁the ▁population ▁of ▁G har ak il isa ▁was ▁not ▁more ▁than ▁ 6 0 0 ▁by ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 8 2 0 s , ▁mainly ▁consisting ▁of ▁migr ants ▁from ▁Y ere van . ▁In ▁ 1 8 4 9 , ▁it ▁became ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁E riv an ▁Governor ate ▁within ▁the ▁Russian ▁Empire . ▁Under ▁its ▁new ▁administrative ▁status , ▁G har ak il isa ▁was ▁flo oded ▁with ▁many ▁hundreds ▁of ▁migr ating ▁Armen ian ▁families ▁from ▁K ars , ▁Ar d ah an ▁and ▁Western ▁Armen ian ▁cities ▁of ▁Kar in ▁and ▁Dar o yn k ). ▁ ▁The ▁town ▁enjoyed ▁a ▁considerable ▁u pl ift ▁through ▁the ▁opening ▁of ▁the ▁rail road ▁towards ▁T bil isi ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 9 . ▁The ▁vic inity ▁of ▁the ▁town