Operation Golden Fleece

Operation Golden Fleece
Part of War in Abkhazia (1992–1993)
TypeNon-combatant evacuation operation
Location
43°00′12″N 41°00′55″E / 43.00333°N 41.01528°E / 43.00333; 41.01528
PlannedGreek Ministry of Foreign Affairs-Greek Ministry of National Defense-other Government agencies
Commanded byDionyssios Kalamvrezos (political coordination)Vasilis Ntertilis [el]
ObjectiveEvacuate ethnic Greeks from Abkhazia
Date15–18 August 1993
Executed by
OutcomeEvacuation of 1,013 civilians
Casualties0
Sukhumi is located in Abkhazia
Sukhumi
Sukhumi

Operation Golden Fleece (Greek: Επιχείρηση Χρυσόμαλλο Δέρας) is a 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 ongoing War in Abkhazia 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.