Bangladesh, Jan. 7 -- A major reshuffling of the global energy landscape may be underway as a US-backed consortium led by Chevron and Quantum Capital Group positions itself to acquire the international assets of Russias second-largest oil producer, Lukoil. Valued at approximately $22 billion, the portfolio includes refineries, upstream stakes across multiple continents, and a vast global retail network. The move, reported by the Financial Times, underscores how Western sanctions are not merely instruments of pressure but mechanisms that actively reallocate strategic assets in favor of US corporate and geopolitical interests.

Lukoil was placed under US sanctions in October as part of Washingtons ongoing effort to economically isolate Russ...