Mykhailo Koval

Colonel General Mykhailo Volodymyrovych Koval (; born 26 February 1956) is a Ukrainian military officer who until 2014 served in the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine. During the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation he was appointed as the Minister of Defence replacing outgoing Admiral Ihor Tenyukh who resigned.

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

Military service From September 1971 to June 1975, he studied at the Kamianets-Podilsky Industrial College at the mine surveying department. After graduating, he received the qualification of a "mining technician- mine surveyor" and attended the Kamianets-Podilsky Higher Military-Engineer Command School as a Second Lieutenant in the Sappers.

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. From 1990 to 1995, Koval served in a VDV training centre. According to Koval, he was kidnapped by the Russian Airborne Forces with the assistance of Crimean civilians. He was released the same day.

War in Donbas

On 25 March 2014, the Verkhovna Rada of approved him as Acting Minister of Defense of Ukraine, 251 deputies voted for this decision with the required minimum of 226 votes.

On 3 July 2014, the Verkhovna Rada, at the proposal of the President, relieved Koval from the duties of the Minister of Defense. The decision was approved by 327 deputies with the required minimum of 226 votes. 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. He served in this post until 27 February 2021, and from 17 February 2015, he became the First Deputy Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council.

From 24 February 2022 to 15 August 2022, he was the Chief of Staff and Deputy Chief of the National Defense University of Ukraine. Since 16 August 2022, he has been serving as the Rector of the NDUU.

Awards and decorations

60px Jubilee Medal "70 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR"