Richard Sorge (October 4; 1895 - November 7; 1944) was an anti-fascist and intelligence officer who worked for the Soviet Union. He had gained great fame among espionage enthusiasts for his intelligence gathering during World War II. He worked as a journalist in both Germany and Japan; where he was imprisoned for spying and eventually hanged.

His GRU codename was 'Ramsay'. He is widely regarded as one of the most productive and heroic Soviet intelligence officers of the Second World War. Sorge moved to Shanghai in 1930 to gather intelligence and foment revolution. Officially; he worked as the editor of a German news service and for the Frankfurter Zeitung. He contacted another spy; Max Clausen. Sorge also met German Soviet spy Ruth Kuczynski and American journalist Agnes Smedley; both became his lovers. Smedley; the well-known left-wing journalist; worked for the Frankfurter Zeitung.

As a journalist; Sorge established himself as an expert on Chinese agriculture. This gave him the freedom to travel around the country making contacts with members of the Chinese Communist Party. In January 1932; Sorge reported on fighting between Chinese and Japanese troops in the streets of Shanghai. In December he was recalled to Moscow.