diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7565e00..2ef159c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -19,11 +19,11 @@ All variables are defined as defaults in [defaults/main.yml](defaults/main.yml)
 
 | Name                                       | Default value                                                                                                        | Description                                                                                                                                                                   |
 |--------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
-| `k8s_cluster_kube_version`                 | 1.26.0-00                                                                                                            | `kubelet`, `kubeadm` and `kubectl` versions                                                                                                                                   |
+| `k8s_cluster_kube_version`                 | 1.28.8-1.1                                                                                                           | `kubelet`, `kubeadm` and `kubectl` versions                                                                                                                                   |
 | `k8s_cluster_apt_key_url`                  | https://packages.cloud.google.com/apt/doc/apt-key.gpg                                                                | Apt key url                                                                                                                                                                   |
 | `k8s_cluster_apt_key_file`                 | /usr/share/keyrings/kubernetes-archive-keyring.gpg                                                                   | Apt key file                                                                                                                                                                  |
 | `k8s_cluster_apt_repository`               | deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/kubernetes-archive-keyring.gpg] https://apt.kubernetes.io/ kubernetes-xenial main | Apt repository                                                                                                                                                                |
-| `k8s_cluster_kubernetes_version`           | 1.26.0                                                                                                               | Kubernetes version                                                                                                                                                            |
+| `k8s_cluster_kubernetes_version`           | 1.28.8                                                                                                               | Kubernetes version                                                                                                                                                            |
 | `k8s_cluster_kubelet_config_root_dir`      | /etc/kubernetes                                                                                                      | Default kubelet configuration directory                                                                                                                                       |
 | `k8s_cluster_node_type`                    | worker                                                                                                               | Default node type. If you need to init or join master, you should set this variable to 'master'                                                                               |
 | `k8s_cluster_node_name`                    | inventory_hostname                                                                                                   | Name of k8s node                                                                                                                                                              |
diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index a4bc935..751289f 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 ---
 
-k8s_cluster_kube_version: 1.26.0-2.1
+# common version for kubernetes related applications - kubelet, kubeadm, kubectl
+k8s_cluster_kube_version: 1.28.8-1.1
 
 # read more at the following sources:
 # https://kubernetes.io/blog/2023/08/31/legacy-package-repository-deprecation/
@@ -12,7 +13,7 @@ k8s_cluster_apt_key_file: "/usr/share/keyrings/kubernetes-archive-keyring.gpg"
 k8s_cluster_apt_repository: 'deb [signed-by={{ k8s_cluster_apt_key_file }}] https://pkgs.k8s.io/core:/stable:/{{ k8s_cluster_apt_kubernetes_version }}/deb/ /'
 
 # without leading 'v', numbers and dots only
-k8s_cluster_kubernetes_version: 1.26.0
+k8s_cluster_kubernetes_version: 1.28.8
 k8s_cluster_kubelet_config_root_dir: '/etc/kubernetes'
 
 k8s_cluster_node_type: worker
diff --git a/molecule/default_ext-etcd-sec/molecule.yml b/molecule/default_ext-etcd-sec/molecule.yml
index ed54c8a..c36b94a 100644
--- a/molecule/default_ext-etcd-sec/molecule.yml
+++ b/molecule/default_ext-etcd-sec/molecule.yml
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ provisioner:
     host_vars:
       k8s-control-plane-01:
         k8s_cluster_initial_master: true
-        k8s_cluster_kubernetes_version: 1.26.0
+        k8s_cluster_kubernetes_version: 1.28.8
         k8s_cluster_cluster_configuration:
           etcd:
             external:
@@ -89,6 +89,8 @@ provisioner:
       all:
         # cloudlabsinfra.etcd_cluster_certificates role related variables
         etcd_cert_dir: /etc/ssl/private
+        # k8s_cluster role related variables
+        k8s_cluster_kube_version: 1.28.8-1.1
       control_plane:
         k8s_cluster_node_type: "master"
         etcd_cert_matrix:
diff --git a/molecule/end-to-end/molecule.yml b/molecule/end-to-end/molecule.yml
index 8a9fae0..d3e0674 100644
--- a/molecule/end-to-end/molecule.yml
+++ b/molecule/end-to-end/molecule.yml
@@ -93,7 +93,6 @@ provisioner:
       k8s-control-plane-01:
         # cloudlabsinfra.k8s_cluster role related variables
         k8s_cluster_initial_master: true
-        k8s_cluster_kubernetes_version: 1.26.0
         # we can't use default cluster configuration here because it doesn't have 'etcd' section
         k8s_cluster_cluster_configuration:
           etcd:
@@ -149,6 +148,9 @@ provisioner:
       all:
         # required for control-plane nodes and etcd as well
         etcd_frontend_name: "etcd.cloudlabsinfra.local"
+        # k8s_cluster role related variables
+        k8s_cluster_kube_version: 1.28.8-1.1
+        k8s_cluster_kubernetes_version: 1.28.8
         k8s_cluster_control_plane_endpoint: "control-plane.cloudlabsinfra.local"
       control_plane:
         # default value of variable below is 'worker'