Sevastopol, Ukraine (CNN) -- Pro-Russian troops reportedly smash open the gates of a Ukrainian base. Russia's navy traps Ukrainian ships. Armed men refuse to allow military observers to enter Ukraine's Crimea region. The crisis in Ukraine took on a decidedly military flavor Friday as tensions flared between Moscow and Kiev over control of Crimea, even as the world's diplomats said conflict could be avoided. Crimea, a self-governing peninsula in southern Ukraine with an ethnic Russian majority and strong cultural ties to Russia, has become the epicenter of a battle for influence between Moscow, Kiev and the West since Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych was pushed out of office by protesters who were angered over his rebuff of a trade deal with the European Union in favor of one with Russia.
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NEW: Pro-Russian forces face off with Ukrainian troops at Crimea base
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NEW: Journalists are attacked by self-styled pro-Russian defense forces
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European observers turned back from entering Crimea by armed men for a second day
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Russian Parliament says it'll back Crimea separation vote despite sanctions threat
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In the days since Yanukovych was ousted, thousands of @placeholder troops have surrounded military bases and key infrastructure sites, and they have taken control of border crossings.
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At the same time, a political battle has been playing out between the two countries, with Russia's @placeholder on Friday giving its defiant support to Crimean lawmakers who want to see their region split from Ukraine and join Russia.
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The delegation from the Crimean Parliament, which said it would put the decision to a public vote on March 16, headed to @placeholder on Friday and got a very different reaction.
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The proposal includes direct talks between Kiev and Moscow, the withdrawal of @placeholder forces, international support for elections on May 25, and the presence of international monitors to "ensure that the rights of all Ukrainians are protected, including ethnic Russians," Obama said.
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One man, speaking in @placeholder, said: "I've been ordered by the government of Crimea not to let anyone in."
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Meanwhile, as the West seeks to put the diplomatic squeeze on Russia, European Union nations said they'll suspend some talks with Russia and have threatened travel bans, asset freezes and the cancellation of a planned @placeholder-Russia summit.
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@placeholder PM: Crimea 'was, is and will be an integral part of Ukraine'
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Ukraine PM: @placeholder 'was, is and will be an integral part of Ukraine'