Bahrain will entertain Iran in Group C in Riffa on Tuesday.
Kovalenko, 44, is an Uzbekistani football official who referees at the Uzbekistan Super League and Uzbekistan Cup.
He refereed at the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, 2012 AFC Cup Final and 2014 World Cup qualifiers, beginning with the preliminary-round match between Iraq and Yemen.
During 2006 World Cup qualifying, he also served as an assistant referee.
Kovalenko also refereed a match between Palestine and Australia at the 2019 AFC Asian Cup in Dubai.