During the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation he was appointed as the Minister of Defence replacing outgoing Admiral Ihor Tenyukh who resigned.

[2] Mykhailo Koval was born on 26 February 1956 in the city of Iziaslav, Khmelnytskyi Oblast, Ukrainian SSR.

[4] Until 1987 he served in the Sapper units of the Soviet Airborne Troops (VDV), in 1987 being a Captain, after which he entered the M. V. Frunze Military Academy in Moscow and graduated it in 1990 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

[11][12] On 3 July 2014, the Verkhovna Rada, at the proposal of the President, relieved Koval from the duties of the Minister of Defense.

[13] On the same day, by presidential decree, he was appointed to the post of Deputy Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine.