Kuban Oblast
Mikhail Kovalyov was born to family of a peasants in stanitsa Bryukovetskaya, Kuban Oblast. In 1915 he enlisted in the Russian Army. After graduating from a School for Praporshchiks Kovalyov fought in World War I commanding a platoon (polurota), company and then a battalion. At the time of the October Revolution he was a Stabs-Captain. During the Russian Civil War he commanded a regiment and then a brigade in the Red Army participating in the fights against White Armies of Denikin, Wrangel and the peasant Tambov rebellion of Aleksandr Antonov.