In this talk we will discuss the validity of Harnack inequalities for linear evolution equations modelled after the Kolmogorov operator. The main focus will be on nondivergence form equations with non-smooth coefficients, and on the absence of an analogue of the ABP maximum principle and of the Krylov-Safonov theory in this setting. In particular, we will highlight as the (very general) crucial ingredient some quantitative point-to-measure estimate for nonnegative subsolutions. With this perspective in mind, we will show a potential theory approach (established in a 2019 joint work with F. Abedin) which allows to prove invariant Harnack inequalities for Kolmogorov-type operators with coefficients satisfying either a Cordes-Landis assumption or a continuity hypothesis.