Smoke rising near the town of Hostomel and the Antonov Airport in northwest Kyiv on February 24, 2022. (Photo: AFP/VNA)

The ministry said Friday's pause had been made in anticipation of talks between Moscow and Kyiv but the operations resumed after Ukraine refused to negotiate.

The same day Ukraine denied suggestions that it was refusing to negotiate a ceasefire with Russia but said it was also not ready to accept Moscow's conditions.