Ivan Zabavsky disappeared in 2022 when he went to the occupied village of Tavolzhanka to find his mother. From conversations with relatives, Marina Zabavskaya learned that her son left to search for her on September 30, when she herself had already left in the other direction. In May 2023, Ivan’s mother received a response from the Russian Ministry of Defense stating that Ivan had been detained 'for opposing the SVO' and was on the territory of the Russian Federation.

Ivan Zabavsky spoke about constant beatings and hunger – according to him, prisoners were given portions of no more than 100-150 grams. In a letter, he mentioned 'long and terrible ten months in captivity, when a day felt like a year, when he was beaten at least two or even three times a day'. Ivan Zabavsky’s lawyer Andrey Chertkov said that his client 'spent time in conditions of deprivation of liberty without any charges being brought' (in incommunicado status).

Ivan Zabavsky was accused of espionage under Article 276 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

On January 30, 2025, the St. Petersburg City Court sentenced Zabavsky to 11 years in a strict regime colony on charges of espionage (Article 276 of the Criminal Code of the RF).