Kateryna Kuznetsova

Kateryna Kuznetsova – biography

Kateryna Olehivna Kuznetsova is one of the brightest Ukrainian theater and film actresses of our time. Her story is an example of resilience, talent, and commitment to her own beliefs.

Childhood and family

Kateryna Kuznetsova was born on 12 July 1987 in Kyiv into a sports family. Her father, Oleh Kuznetsov, is a famous Ukrainian footballer, Honored Master of Sports of the USSR, who played for Dynamo Kyiv, and her mother, Alla Borysenko, devoted herself to athletics. The sporty atmosphere at home contributed to Kateryna’s strength of character and perseverance. From 1990 to 1994, the family lived in Scotland, where her father played for a local football club. There, little Katia quickly learned English. After returning to Ukraine, she studied in Kyiv, where, along with her studies, she took up singing – for ten years she sang in the Vohonik choir, dreaming of becoming an opera singer.

First steps towards art

Her childhood dream of the stage began to take on new shapes after a fateful viewing of Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion. The brilliant performances of actors Bohdan Beniuk, Anatolii Khostikoiev, and Nataliia Sumska fascinated Kateryna and finally made her choose theater. She decided to connect her life with the dramatic arts. In 2009, Kateryna graduated from the Ivan Karpenko-Kary Kyiv National University of Theater, Cinema and Television with a degree in drama and film. During her second year of studies, she began working with the Kyiv Academic Young Theater, gaining her first professional skills on stage.

Starting a career in television

Alongside her studies, Kateryna hosted morning shows on the First National TV Channel, which became a useful experience for her in front of the camera. Her first television job was as a screen saver on the M1 channel, where she, among other models, participated in colorful music videos. In 2004, she starred in a music video for the song “Gorodok” by the Leprechauns. In 2008, the actress took part in the popular TV project “Dancing for You!” on 1+1 TV channel. She was paired with Murat Nudel and won the show, which added to her popularity among the Ukrainian audience. The couple donated the money they won to charity, building a rehabilitation center for children with cancer.

First movie roles

Kateryna got her first experience in cinema in 2005, playing a small role of Elsa in the TV series The Return of Mukhtar-2. She went on to play roles in Ukrainian and Russian projects: “Angel from Orly” (2006), “You Can’t Tell the Heart to Do What You Want” (2007), “Start Over. Marta” (2008), “A Woman Not Prone to Adventures” (2008) and others. Katerina got her first leading role in a movie in 2011 in The Best 3D Movie, where she played Varya, a girl with no memory.

Moving to Moscow and rising to fame

In 2011, Katerina decided to move to Moscow, where there were more opportunities for actors at the time. It was there that she landed one of her most famous roles, that of waitress Sasha Bubnova in the TV series Kitchen (2012-2014), which became a cult in the Russian-speaking world. After her success in this project, she continued to act in numerous TV series and films, including Queen of Bandits, Yalta-45, Faster Than Rabbits, Clean Water at the Source, Anka from Moldovanka, Partners, Cuba, The Touring Party, The Cycle, and others. Despite her career in Russia, Kateryna always emphasized her identity: she remained a citizen of Ukraine and emphasized her pride in her homeland.

Personal life

Katerina Kuznetsova was married to Russian actor Yevgeny Pronin. They met on the set of the movie You Can’t Tell Your Heart to Do What You Want. Their civil marriage lasted four years, after which they were officially married in the summer of 2014. However, their marriage was short-lived and ended in March 2015, although the official divorce took place only a year later. The reason for the divorce was reportedly Pronin’s infidelity. Kateryna is currently in a relationship with Maxim Aplin. They met in Sri Lanka, where Maxim has a business. He is Russian but supports Ukraine in the conflict. The couple got engaged in 2021 in Sri Lanka, but their marriage was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the war. They maintain a long-distance relationship, as her work is mostly in Kyiv and his in Sri Lanka. They try to meet between projects, often in Tenerife, where they settled after the full-scale invasion began.

A period of war and a new life

In 2022, after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the actress was in Spain. She immediately expressed her public position against the war and said she would never return to Russia. Her partner, Maxim Aplin, supported her decision and helped her move her belongings and pets from Moscow to Tenerife. After the war broke out, Kateryna sold her apartment in Moscow. She says her monthly expenses are about $2000, and her unstable income averages $4000.

Modern careers in Ukraine

After a year and a half break in her professional life caused by the full-scale invasion, Kateryna returned to work. She actively joined Ukrainian projects, declaring her readiness to work in Ukraine if invited. In 2024, she played the lead role in the comedy Train to December 31, which was a box office success. In the same year, the movie My Movie was released, where Kateryna played the role of confectioner Sasha. In 2025, she appeared in one of the central roles in the STB TV series Love and Flame, a dramatic story dedicated to Ukrainian rescuers, where she played civil defense major Kateryna Koval. The series was created in cooperation with the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, which made it realistic and emotional. In addition to her film work, Kateryna is currently on a theater tour of Europe with the play Happy Day, which is the first Ukrainian play to be performed abroad in Ukrainian.

Views on Ukrainian cinema

In the interview, Kateryna Kuznetsova expresses her opinion on Ukrainian cinema, believing that it is often too cautious and avoids “non-format” stories. In her opinion, this has led to a decline in viewer interest in television among her generation. She criticizes the tendency to “lighten” serious topics, such as war, in Ukrainian dramas. The actress has more faith in Ukrainian documentaries, citing 20 Days in Mariupol as an example. She also praises her friend Vasyl Kyivsky’s film Battle for Light.

Personality and beliefs

Kateryna Kuznetsova loves music, especially indie pop and minimal techno, but she doesn’t like pop music. In movies, she prefers arthouse and dramatic roles, although in real life she considers herself a “comedy person.” She actively shares moments of her life and work on Instagram under the user name “katykino”. Kateryna is an example of a person who, despite all the circumstances, has remained true to herself, her culture, and her country. She is not afraid to express her own position, speaks honestly about the difficulties and triumphs of her life, and inspires many people both in Ukraine and abroad. Her career is not only a story of professional success, but also a testament to her inner strength, patriotism, and unbreakable spirit.Kateryna continues to work, develop and support Ukraine in difficult times, proving that true talent has no borders, and love for the homeland is beyond politics and circumstances.

Kateryna Kuznetsova’s complete filmography

2005 – The Return of Mukhtar-2 – Elsa
2006 – Psychopath – Elena, the Jubilee’s Daughter
2006 – The Devil from Orly. An Angel from Orly – Mirrey
2007 – You can’t command the heart – Maya Savelyeva
2008 – A big difference – Polina
2008 – Relatives – Antonina
2008 – Start over. Martha – Svetlana Litvinova
2008 – A woman not inclined to adventure – Angela
2010 – Only love – Alina
2010 – A completely different life – Galina
2011 – The best 3D movie – Varvara
2011 – White roses of hope – Anya
2012 – Yalta-45 – Vera
2012-2014 – The Kitchen – Sasha Bubnova
2012 – Give Me Sunday – Elizaveta Glebovna
2013 – The Shopping Center – Anna Fadeeva
2013 – The Bandit Queen – Polina
2013 – The Flyers – Brittney
2013 – Faster than Rabbits – Lena
2014 – The Bandit Queen2 – Polina
2014 – Clean water at the source – Lida Selezneva
2014 – A year in Tuscany – Rita
2015 – Anka from Moldovanka – Anna
2015 – Honest pioneer-.2 – Alla Serhiivna
2015 – The War of the Sexes – Yulia
2015 – Fugitives – Eva
2016 – Express Business Trip (Trip toBusiness Trip (Trip for Happiness) – Katya Ignatieva
2016 – Partners – Yulia Sokolova
2016 – The Cycle – Varvara Semenovna Grishina
2016 – Cuba – Erika Odintsova
2016 – Journalists – Karina
2017 – Desperate Housewife – Marina
2017 – Rainbow in the Sky – Maria
2018 – Who Are You? – Inga Stefan
2019 – Crazy Wedding 2 – Natalka Seredyuk
2021 – Vampires of the Middle – Anna Ostroumova
2024 – My Movie – Sasha, the Confectioner
2024 – Train to December 31 – Tamara Petrynenko
2025 – Love and Fire – Kateryna Koval (lead)