Operation Golden Fleece

The Operation Golden Fleece (Greek: Επιχείρηση Χρυσόμαλλο Δέρας) codename given to the non-combatant evacuation operation of ethnic Greeks from the port of Sukhumi, Abkhazia. On 14 August 1992, Georgian troops entered Abkhazia in order to crush its separatist movement. The war created an atmosphere of lawlessness in the region, resulting in dozens of deaths of Greek civilians. The Greek state decided to intervene in order to evacuate members of the Greek minority in Abkhazia. The operation was carried out by the Hellenic Navy between 15-18 August 1993. It resulted in the evacuation of 1,013 civilians to Alexandroupolis, Greece.