Sofiia Yalpachyk is 84 years old and she is one of the last non-assimilated Karaites in Ukraine. She is a woman with a mathematical mindset and, at the same time, a very tender, poetic soul. For almost all her life Sofiia taught children mathematics and wrote poems. She has dedicated her whole life to three main pursuits - science, poetry and preserving the Karaites culture. At present, Melitopol, the city where she lives, is occupied by Russian troops.Shades of Ukraine is a series of documentary stories about the national minorities and indigenous peoples of Ukraine. The project reveals the multiculturalism of the country and celebrates the unique talents of its people inhabiting different parts of the state. The protagonists speak both Ukrainian and their community’s language, preserve their family traditions and respect the local customs.