The western media has been fed a story that Russian diplomats' families have been recalled. No proof of that yet. No leaked emails, memos, letters, boarding passes of families, people moving out of their apartments, motorcades of diplomatic people rushing to the airports... nothing.

Who benefits from putting that story out there?

Why would you believe that story?

I have read some translated-from-Russian media that the recalling's stated purpose was to reduce the ability of foreign intelligence services to recruit young college age Russians.

I am not fluent in Russian so I can't confirm.