Leuke Island, Fidonisi, Achilles Island, Zmiyini, Snake Island, the only island far from the coast of the Black Sea, Leuke is located 45 km northeast of the Danube delta, 35 km off the coast on the Romanian-Ukrainian border. It is a small limestone island with a surface area of 0.17 km², the highest point of which is 41 m above sea level. There was a disagreement between Ukraine and Romania on the sharing of the oil and natural gas field of 12 thousand square kilometers around the island, the issue was discussed at the International Court of Justice and Romania won the court that was concluded in 2009.

Plinius reported that the island, which was known as the Island of Achilles in ancient times and was the center of the cult of Achilles Pontarkes, had names such as "White Island" and "Holy Island". During the archaeological excavations, besides plump-necked and H-shaped amphores, stone anchors were also found in the surrounding waters. The scene in which Helen, Achilles and Aphrodite are depicted under a white poplar tree in the Portland Vase, which is kept in the British Museum today, is thought to have taken place on Leuke Island.

In the Trojan War summary of Arktinus of Miletus, Thetis brought the soul of her deceased son Achilles (or the ashes left over from his resting corpse) swimming from Troy to this island. A 30 m wide ruin found on the island in 1823 is thought to be a temple related to the cult of Achilles. The Russian navy built an octagonal lighthouse on the island in 1843 with a height of 12 m.

During the Ottoman period, the name of the island of Achilles was changed to "Fidonisi", which means "Snake Island" in Greek, and one of the naval battles of the Ottoman-Russian war that took place around the island was called the Battle of Fidonisi.

 

Source: Özhan Öztürk- Pontus: Ethnic and Political History of the Black Sea from Antiquity to the Present