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.[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. From 1990 to 1995, Koval served in a VDV training centre.[4]
On 5 March 2014, during the annexation of Crimea, Colonel-General of the Border Troops Koval was abducted by "unknown formations in military uniform" near the military unit near Yalta, where he came to "lift the morale of Ukrainian border guards."[5] According to Koval, he was kidnapped by the Russian Airborne Forces with the assistance of Crimean civilians.[6] He was released the same day.[7][8][9]
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.[10][11]
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.[12] 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.[13] 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.
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