He fought in the Battle of Kiev in October, his first battle. On 6 October 1943, near the village of Gubin in Chernobyl Raion, Kuznetsov reportedly rushed into a German trench with his squad. He then reportedly bayoneted a machine gun crew, turned it around and opened fire on the German soldiers, reportedly killing 32 soldiers and an officer. The German troops soon counterattacked and Kuznetsov reportedly repulsed it by throwing two grenades, reportedly killing six German soldiers. In the ensuing hand-to-hand fighting, he reportedly bayoneted another two soldiers but was wounded. In a later battle, he was severely wounded and discharged in late 1943.